Summary of frankl's book - Essay Example

Search for Meaning Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning is an interesting book not because it gives information about life in concentration camps or because it chronicles the stories of kind guards and unkind prisoners. It is interesting because it provides the reader information about individuals can find reasons to live even in the darkest of circumstances and this leads to the idea that no matter how bleak the circumstances may be, there is always hope and a reason to live in the meaning of life.

While it has been an influential book for many people and groups, it brings special meaning to the field of nursing since it gives ideas which can be used to establish therapeutic healing relationships between nurses and the individuals under their care. For example, Frankl (1997) presents the idea that life never stops having a meaning therefore there is no such thing as a meaningless existence. Individuals will always have something to live for. While Frankl offers concrete examples such as family and loved ones, he also includes the spiritual aspect of living for a cause and suggests that even in the direst situations; a reason to live can be found in the shape of God.

For nurses, it becomes important to note that if this faith in family, friends or a spiritual deity is lost by an individual, the process of recovery can be harmed significantly. The relevance of this idea to the theory of nursing becomes clear when we understand that nurses are supposed to provide assistance in the healing process and create professional relationships with patients under their care. These positive relationships can help along the healing process for the patient. Another important point which Frankl makes is the idea concerning the individual attitude which a person can have with regard to a calamity.

He notes that some prisoners were able to take whatever the concentration camps dished out to them and survive simply because they had a positive attitude within them. Even in suffering, a positive attitude can lessen the pain a person is going through and allow him/her to come to terms with what has afflicted them. On the other hand, those who give up or become negative may not only enhance their own suffering but also affect how others around them are feeling. The lesson for a nurse is simply to remain positive and encourage patients to think positively.

On a personal note, I found the book to be highly motivational and I believe that it offers some important life lessons for people from all walks of life. It is certainly a popular book and does offer deep insights into the human psyche. However, it does not give the exact mechanism by which a person can be motivated to think positively in ever circumstances. Perhaps that remains something which has to be discovered and applied by an individual depending on his/her circumstances. Overall, I found the book to be a fascinating read and an important work due to the life lessons contained within the pages.

Word Count: 524Works CitedFrankl, V. 1997, Mans Search For Meaning, Pocket.