Living with chronic pain: the use of conceptual metaphors as a resource for the construction of affect in accounts by endometriosis patients

Abstract

This article focuses on identifying and understanding the use of conceptual metaphors by Chilean patients with endometriosis, analyzing how these metaphors encode affection in their narratives and their impact on the perception and management of the disease. Through Systemic Functional Linguistics and the Theory of Conceptual Metaphor, 30 interviews with diagnosed women were analyzed. An extensive use of metaphorical and affective language was found, highlighting 196 instances that reflect the emotional aspects of endometriosis. These results underline the importance of metaphorical language in structuring patients’ experiences, offering a deep understanding of how they comprehend and approach their condition, and providing a valuable perspective on the emotional management of this complex illness.