Human Suffering

Human suffering is a universal experience, unique to each individual. Its alleviation is the aim of practitioners, yet literature is sparse and practice guidelines are non-existent. Understanding suffering requires a broad definition and a thorough assessment, made possible by a variety of existing instruments. Religious perspective may influence patient response. Frankl’s wisdom—based on a body, mind, and spirit framework—offers guidelines for interventions to find new meaning in spite of unavoidable suffering. More research is needed to develop an epidemiology of suffering and to test models of intervention.