The phenomenon of suffering in medical and psychiatric contexts

The phenomenon of suffering is a complex and multifaceted issue considered from philosophical, psychological, social, and medical (in particular, forensic) standpoints. This work aimed to review the research dedicated to the medical perspective on the phenomenon of suffering, with a focus on forming a conceptual basis for further theoretical and practical research aimed at developing the methodology of forensic psychological and psychiatric examination of suffering, particularly approaches to assessing its severity, including in the context of moral harm. The existing definitions and concepts of suffering, its typology, including physical, psychological, and social aspects are discussed. The main mechanisms of the emergence of suffering are revealed, such as the threat to the integrity of personality, the frustration of essential needs, and the depletion of resources and adaptive mechanisms. Existing approaches to the diagnosis and measurement of suffering are revealed, including objective clinical methods and subjective self-assessment scales, and options for classifying the severity of suffering are provided. The analysis of recent studies shows a lack of a universal definitio