“It is better to know the patient who has the disease than it is to know the disease which the patient has.” Hippocrates (460BC – 377 BC)
People face many types of chronic illness, including diabetes, HIV/AIDS, arthritis, persistent fatigue, asthma, and lupus, to name a few. The National Center for Health Statistics defines a chronic illness as one lasting three months or longer. While acute illness comes on suddenly, usually has an identifiable cause, and is treatable often with a return to normal health; chronic illness often begins gradually and may be multi-causal and multi-factorial. Rarely “cured,” chronic illness usually persists for an indefinite period of time. It has been estimated that 45 percent of the population – more than 125 million people - have at least one chronic health condition. Of these, 41 million people have their daily activities limited in some way because of their condition and 12 million are unable to live independently. The number of chronically ill Americans is expected to rise to 157 million – about half the U.S. population – by 2020 (National Center for Health Statistics, 2005).
Chronic illness can force many potentially stressful lifestyle changes, such as giving up cherished activities, adapting to new physical limitations and special needs, and paying for expensive medications and treatment services. These stressors can have a profound psychological impact on those with chronic illnesses as well as their families.
Contributing to the rise of chronically ill Americans are the recent medical, technical, surgical, and pharmacological advances which have transformed many formerly acute illnesses into chronic illnesses. People are also living for longer periods of time with chronic illness and are experiencing increased psychological challenges for greater portions of their lives. Research has shown that severe and continual stress associated with dealing with a chronic illness can compromise the immune system and adversely affect overall health. The good news is that you can learn how to manage stress and make lifestyle choices that can improve your mood and your overall health.
What to do:
Helping people develop skills of resilience as they cope with the psychological and emotional challenges of a chronic illness require a clinical approach that is realistic, but also positive. The goals are to increase overall mood and life satisfaction. Developing a positive outlook about the future may seem impossible, at first, but can be accomplished.
The following ways to improve resilience in chronic illness have been adapted from the Summit, NJ Overlook Hospital Initiative, The key to coping with chronic illness.
Connect with people. Establish and maintain quality relationships with family members and friends. This provides social support and strengthens resilience.
Take care of yourself. Make time to eat properly, relax, rest, and exercise. Caring for yourself and even giving yourself “permission” to have fun will enable you to deal with stressful aspects of your illness.
Keep things in perspective. Even when facing very painful effects and experiences, try to consider the stressful situation in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective. Avoid blowing events out of proportion.
Maintain a hopeful outlook. Research has indicated that hopefulness can influence health. Spirituality/religion can also be helpful in buffering stress and enhancing health.
Look for opportunities for self-discovery. “Posttraumatic growth” is a term used to describe people who have learned about themselves and developed resilience as a result of trauma or illness. Many people who have experienced tragedies, hardships, and illnesses have reported better relationships, a greater sense of personal strength and self-worth, as well as heightened spirituality.
Maintain routines. Keep up with your daily routine of work, errands, household chores, and hobbies whenever possible. This provides you with a feeling of stability even when your world may be feeling chaotic. Sticking with a routine can be comforting to your family, as well.
Acknowledge your feelings. Chronic illness triggers many strong emotions. The healthiest thing you can do is to find more constructive ways to express the full range of emotions you may be feeling through talking and sharing with others, physical activity or creative pursuits.
Help others. Just as it is important for you to get help when you need it, it’s also important to give help by reaching out and supporting others who may be experiencing similar difficulties.
Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems. Although you may not be able to completely avoid stressful events and situations, you can change how you perceive, interpret and respond to them.
Keywords: chronic illness, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, arthritis, fatigue, asthma, lupus, health care needs, psychologist, help
Online Resources
Self-management: taking charge of your health
American Academy of Family Physicians
How can I make my life better?
Cleveland Clinic
