Chronic Illness and Mental Health
If you are not affected by chronic illness, I’m sure you know someone who is. According to the National Association of Chronic Disease, nearly 60% of the American population suffers from chronic illness. A chronic illness is defined as a condition that lasts at least a year or more and requires ongoing medical attention or otherwise significantly limits daily activities. Maybe you suffer from an autoimmune disease, or have a loved one you are caring for that has an ongoing illness that needs to be managed daily. The toll it can take on your mental health, or the mental health of caretakers is significant. Sometimes a person with chronic illness does not “look sick”, though alot can be going on in their bodies. There is often times a lack of support for those suffering from chronic illness and their loved ones simply because the illness is not immediatly “life threatening” or acute.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), people with other chronic medical conditions have a higher risk of depression, and they tend to have more severe symptoms of both illnesses. This has prompted many professionals to recommend a patient be treated for both the depression and the medical illness at the same time.
Chronic Illness is a full time job. It takes effort and willingness to change your daily life and routine. Sometimes it interefers with your social life and ability to be present. Sometimes it feels depressing and debilitating since so much of one’s effort is spend trying to figure out how to manage your symptoms, or help a loved one manage theirs. It can be tempting to give up hope.
Stress is large factor that may be contributing to symptoms. If you are someone with a background of trauma (“big or little”), and your system has been wired for constant fight or flight, this can impact your health. Its important to address your trauma and stress. Do things that help regulate your nervous sytem, go outside in nature, put your phone down, connect with someone who is supportive, do some deep breathing, practice mindfulness, fuel your body with healthy foods, find practitioners that are knowledgable about your illness and willing to help you work through all aspects of it. Lastly, just a reminder to be gentle with yourself, you don’t have to figure it all out right now, take one day at a time.
