Perspectiva fenomenológica existencial da pessoa com doença celíaca

Abstract

Celiac Disease is characterized by a malabsorption syndrome precipitated by the ingestion of foods containing gluten. It is estimated that there are two million people with Celiac Disease in Brazil. The disease can occur at any age, with a variety of symptoms/manifestations. Currently, the only treatment for celiac disease is a strict gluten-free diet for life. Controlling gluten intake becomes an arduous task, as it is not just about eliminating this product. Gluten is present in several foods that would naturally not have gluten, but come to have it through food contamination. This study aims to present the psychological and social impacts on the life of people with Celiac Disease and to identify signs and factors that demonstrate the relationship between dietary restriction in Celiac Disease, existential suffering and possible damage in the horizon of possibilities. The question that guides this research is: what is the experience of being celiac patient like from the perspective of Existential Analysis? The method of this research is the narrative review. The general objective is, therefore, to describe, to be celiac patient from an existential perspective. Existence is under constant construction. This construction takes place in a world, which comprises not only a physical space, but also a world of meanings, stories, shared socially and culturally. Bodily existence influences the way of being-in-the-world and being-with-others. The food restriction caused by the gluten-free diet leads to a series of restrictions in the social world and losses and can become a suffering as it restricts the possibilities of being and existing. A solid support network contributes to social inclusion, existential support for validation and encounter. Existential phenomenological psychotherapy contributes to the re-signification of relationships and the way of being-in-the-world-with-another. In addition, it favors encounter, openness and existential validation.