Narrative Medicine in the treatment of diabetes

Medicine practiced with narrative competence, called Narrative Medicine, is the ability to acknowledge, absorb, interpret and act on the stories and plights of others and represents a model for humane and effective medical practice. In this perspective, the person’s experience and story become important tools that allow health professional to better understand their patients’ disease and to formulate more appropriate diagnostic and treatment options. Furthermore, the narrating of the patient’s story is a therapeutically central act, because to find the words to contain the disorder and its attendant worries and to develop self-awareness and motivation to self-care. KEY WORDS narrative medicine; therapeutic patient education; storytelling; training for healthcare professionals; personalized medicine