Coping with Chronic Illness

Receiving the diagnosis of a chronic ailment is a life changing moment. According to the U.S National Center for Health Statistics, a chronic illness often lasts for a period of three (3) months or more. Suffering from illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, arthritis, cystic fibrosis, heart disease, obesity and other forms of chronic illness often times trigger feelings of anger, fear, dependency, depression and grief. Many patients define it as an emotional rollercoaster.

Dealing with this emotional rollercoaster can be extremely hard for anyone. Facing your illness head on is a good place to start!

Here are some suggestions you can use to coping with your diagnosis:

The first thing you need to do is avoid all forms of self-blame! You need to remember that the human body is susceptible to sickness. We experience pain in many forms and we eventually die. It’s not your fault you’re experiencing health problems. Anyone can be a victim of health problems.

I want to encourage you to think about your diagnosis and make a list of all your questions and concerns and take it to your health provider. Research has shown that when you are actively involved in your treatment it makes the process easier.

Recognize your support options! Support is a very important part of this journey; having someone to talk to about your situation can make the journey easier. Often times patients seek out support from family members; spouse, children, relatives. Support can also be found from your religious leaders and close friends.

Seeking support from a mental health provider is also a very good idea. They can help with exploring your feelings of loneliness, anger, depression you may be experiencing that your friends, family, members and religious leaders can’t provide.

Yes! Your diagnosis can disrupt your everyday lifestyle but that doesn’t mean you should not seek out small daily activities to partake in. This could simply mean is making a phone call to a friend or family member.