During our
lifetimes things don’t always go exactly to plan. Our bodies can sometimes fail on us in areas which leave us suffering with a chronic illness for years and years on end. Chronic illness is something which we never want to deal with however there are times when we simply have no other option. If you have been diagnosed with an illness recently and you are looking for some advice, you’ve come to the right place.
Stay organised
When you are diagnosed with some sort of illness the hardest thing to control can be your medication. Whether it be an inhaler, tablets or a liquid medication: we suddenly have to remember to take these things every single day and add them to our routine. If you want to stay organised it can be helpful to place your medicine in a
pill dispenser and put it somewhere that you know you’ll go every day. For example if you know you have to have tablets when you wake up, place them near your toothbrush or on top of your phone.
Accept it
Throughout our lives we all like to believe that we are invincible and that we can overcome anything. When we hear the news that our bodies are failing in one way or another it can be stressful and hard to deal with. Before you can start living your life in this new way it is important for you to accept what you have got and move on with your life. Once you can accept what your illness is, you’ll be able to build a happier and more productive life.
Learn more about it
When we have words like asthma or fibromyalgia thrown into our faces, it can be difficult to understand what is wrong and this can make it harder for us to mentally deal with the issue. To help you cope it might be a good idea to learn more about your illness and what causes it. For example with asthma you could learn that the windpipe closes up and swells which can stop us from getting enough oxygen into our lungs. Once you learn a bit more about the mechanics of an illness it becomes easier to deal with because it isn’t so mysterious any more.
Find support
When it comes to dealing with a chronic illness, perhaps the hardest thing of all is not having anyone there to support you. Family and friends will always give you their time but if they don’t share the same experiences as you it is difficult for them to truly be able to offer you help. You can find support with a
Facebook group or a local group of those who suffer the same as you. You’ll be able to share stories and advice and this can be a good way to help you manage.
Take it slow
When you suffer from a chronic illness it will often make certain activities harder than others. The important thing for you to remember is that you shouldn’t be expected to complete tasks at the same pace as someone who is fit and healthy. There will always be extra challenges for you and you don’t need to try and prove yourself to anyone. Take things easy and do what you can.
Prioritise
Following on from the point above, you can’t be expected to perform tasks as quickly as others and therefore you will need to learn how to better prioritise your time to get the important things done each and every day. Make sure to plan out your days carefully so that you know what you need to do and how long things will take you. This will make things much easier for you overall.
Be patient with yourself
When it comes to looking after yourself after being diagnosed with an illness, it is important for you to think about yourself as a person with thoughts and feelings. When you are no longer able to do something such as hold a cup of tea or cut with a pair of scissors, it is easy to get frustrated with yourself and be angry at yourself, but this is never the way to handle things. Make sure to show yourself some real compassion and patience and be sure to give yourself time to adjust. It might take you a while to adapt to your illness and work around it, but once you do you will be able to live an independent and happy life just as you did before.
Relax
This next point is true whether you suffer from a chronic illness or not. In our lives, a lot of us don’t give ourselves the time and space to be truly relaxed. If always seem to struggle with your time and your stress levels are always high, this can actually have a real effect on any illnesses you have because stress can cause extra symptoms and worsen others. Make sure if you are going to cope with an illness and stay healthy that you sit down and breathe now and again. It is super important for you to relax and give yourself time to refresh after a stressful day or week. Learning techniques such as meditation can be super helpful for you.
Exercise
Exercise is always important for the body, and when we have an issue such as an illness it is even more important than ever to make sure we are exercising and keeping ourselves fit. Even if you can’t do much in the way of strenuous moves, it can be a good idea for you to try
simple stretches and walks to keep the heart healthy and get blood pumping around the body every day. Think as well about exercise as a way for you to escape from the stresses of the day and find some kind of release in your body and mind. It is good for the soul and it can be a wonderful thing for you to do.
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