SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCE OF MIGRAINE SUFFERERS: PSYCHOEMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF SUFFERERS

Abstract

Migraine is a severe headache that usually occurs together with other symptoms, creating significant
dysfunction in the sufferer’s daily life. Taking into account its diverse impact on the patient’s life, the
present qualitative research aimed both at investigating the subjective experience of migraine, as well as
at the perceived consequences that occur on the quality of life of the sufferers, women and men. At the
same time, it was sought to enable sufferers to express their personal experience of migraine, which is
often treated as an “invisible” disease. 14 people participated in the research, of which three were men
and eleven were women. From the thematic analysis of the research material, three main themes emerged;
the subjective experience of the sufferers, the strategies developed by sufferers to remain functional, and
the impact of migraine on the various aspects of the social domain, the attitude, and way of dealing with
significant others towards the patients. Based on the findings, the necessity for further investigation of the
experience of migraine patients over time, as well as the need for psychological support and systematic
counseling of themselves and their relatives, can reasonably be seen.