Major health problems

Abstract

Human beings are much more than a simple collection of cells, much more than just an intricate machine: they also have emotions and relationships, and these in turn influence their bodily functioning. Thus it is wholly artificial to divide illness into physical and mental conditions. Furthermore, the environment — the living situation of the person concerned — obviously has a big influence on both body and mind. An ‘interactional’ view of illness will look at all three aspects of life — physical, emotional, and environmental — and will see how these combine to produce the conditions in which a person will need help.