Background: Living with mental illness and somatic comorbidity can contribute to poorer conditions for the individual and increase the risk of a worse outcome for both conditions. Stigma among family and friends, lack of social support and lack of knowledge about the somatic condition can be an obstacle to health-promoting self-care activities. Nurses have a central role in caring and these patients are at risk of developing preventable physical illnesses.

Aim: This study intends to explore the patient's experiences of being cared for with mental illness and somatic comorbidity.

Method: Seven qualitative and one mixed method article were included in this literature study. 

Results: The analysis resulted in three themes: living with stigmatization, to be seen as an object and to surrender into someone else's hands. Patients ́ experienced being stigmatized, were met from their illness state and experienced a lack of knowledge within the psychiatry regards to somatic comorbidity. 

Conclusion: Due to the organizational division between psychiatry and somatic care, these patients’ risk being trapped in between. Lack of knowledge contributes to the fact that patients are not treated holistically and thus risks being without care. Collaboration in teams would contribute positively to patients´ health processes where nurses are responsible for coordinating care within the team and across caregiver boundaries. Person-centered care where nurses are aware of norms, are responsible for assessing patients’ needs and treat patients with a holistic perspective contributes to nursing needs being met.