Man is considered both a biological and social being; and as such, human health is represented scientifically and sociologically (Williams & Bendelow, 1998). This recognition of human health as more than a biological phenomenon has highlighted the significance of the ontological and emotional component of health and illness (Williams & Bendelow, 1998, pp. 21-22). Illness, described as the “social meaning of biological condition [disease]” (Eisenberg, 1977 cited in Conrad & Barker, 2010), is experienced as influenced by culture and social systems (Conrad & Barker, 2010). The process through which an individual experiences an illness has subsequently attracted and interested many scholars and researchers, as clearly indicated by the diverse literature currently available. This growing popularity of the “illness experience,” however, is not without its challenges and controversies. For decades, branches of both science and sociology have incessantly debated the role of the “body” and the “self” in the illness experience of an individual and those around them (Thomas, 2007; Latimer, 2009). However, it is recognized that both have a significant impact on the genuine understanding of the individual's and/or family's experience of illness (Thomas, 2007, pp. 3-4). Despite this mutual recognition, however, “losing control of the self remains a complex paradigm that continues to confound health researchers and scholars alike and, as such, has gained much interest over its biological counterpart (Williams & Bendelow, 1998 ) The aim of this article is therefore to present how "losing control of oneself" encompasses the lived experience of being ill of the individual and his families. However, due to extensive… middle of paper… ries and other neurotraumatic diseases. Furthermore, “loss of self” has not only been observed in diseased individuals, but also in spouses and children. The justifications given for this argument are, however, by no means an exhaustive account of the complex concepts, models and theories involved in the relationship. between the body and the self. Rather, it is a general overview of what the "self" is to adequately understand how the theme of "loss of self" can be experienced by both sick individuals and their families. Therefore, it is necessary to focus more in-depth research on the concepts presented. Finally, as the emphasis has been placed entirely on the process of losing control of the self, the implications for further research into the recognition and revitalization of the new "self" as experienced by those individuals who have previously lost the self are recognized known.