A Sick Prejudice

Book excerpt: Why can it be so difficult to be around someone with a serious illness? Something lurks deep within us, urging us to avoid someone seriously ill. A Sick Prejudice explores our innermost fears, primal emotions, and biases when we get into illness situations. It reveals the flawed reasoning and escape tactics that naturally arise in us. Joseph McNolty weaves together research with heartfelt stories that span over 15 years of his wife’s cancer and his own. He uncovers why there is a “sick prejudice,” how it affects us, and how it can make an illness worse. McNolty offers us easy ways to overcome the distressed and exaggerated feelings we can have. We then can create a healing environment for the sick one and an enriching experience for ourselves. More than just a look at the stereo-types and aversions people can have to illness, A Sick Prejudice explores the essential role of sickness in our lives and the personal growth that can come from the experience.