Chronic illnesses are generally multifactorial, beginning gradually and lasting three months or longer. Chronic illnesses include diabetes, HIV/AIDS, arthritis, persistent fatigue, asthma, and lupus. Long-term poor health can affect your body, independence, mental health, career aspirations, relationships, and financial wellbeing. It is normal to feel anger, denial, confusion, grief, fear, anxiety, self-loathing, shame, and stress when confronting your chronic illness.
Tips for Coping with Chronic Illness
- Accept your diagnosis
- Release control over certain aspects of your life
- Regain control where you can through knowledge, problem solving and planning
- Lean on family and friends
- Utilize support groups
- Ask for help
- Turn to meditation, humor, faith, or hope
- Look for meaning in life
- Use joyful activities, creativity, and social interactions as distractions to pain or boredom
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A psychologist can help you create a plan to reclaim control and find ways to healthily cope with your chronic illness.
