The purpose of this thesis is to find out the reasons and perhaps some answers to the problem as we see it, the sickness benefit expiration of those who experience this. By this said we have also taken into account the different laws and adjustments in the long-term sickness benefit, but also major reformation of the security net in the Swedish society. The efficiency of the law on passive long-term sickness absence was added in July 2008, but was later in January 2010 supplemented. The purpose of this law wasn’t only to reduce the long-term sickness absence but also to reduce exclusion. These changes had also been highlighted by the media that people were actually being excluded from the society. It creates marginalization.

The aim of this study is to highlight individuals' feelings about the whole performing hedge process. The survey was conducted through semi-structured interviews where we wanted a deeper knowledge of the interviewee’s experiences. In order to give the interviewee the opportunity and possibility to form their own mind and own reflections and express their own thoughts, the questions were open for answers. This allowed us to ask supplementary questions. After collecting the empirical data we did a breakdown in the following three themes: the experiences of the sickness absence, the experiences by the response of the concerned authorities.

The theories chosen in this study are stigma, social exclusion, sense of coherence (SOC) and sick role. The economic exclusion creates social exclusion where as the sense of shame among the interviewee’s increase. By this said, the interviewee’s are not able to participate actively in the social activities to the same extent, but also they cannot provide for themselves. This can obviously lead to increased risk for mental illness. In our analysis we aim to discuss our issues based on the experiences for the interviewees’.