Many people of all ages have reached a point in their lives where the chronic illness they’ve had for a while has become a challenge that feels there is no hope of it ever going away.
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Chronic illnesses can be minor or major health problems, but either way, it’s disheartening when you first realize you’re going to be dealing with this issue for a long time.
You’re faced with constant (or worsening) symptoms, numerous appointments to help you manage your health, and complex treatment plans you must navigate and tweak along the way.
It’s no wonder you often feel overwhelmed. For some people, this is often turns into chronic depression about the situation. But you don’t have to live in that mindset – where the illness overpowers your happiness and ability to thrive.
There are many who take a strategic approach to not allowing their illness to define who they are or what they’re capable of achieving. Over the next couple of weeks we’ll look at some advice you can adopt into your own life to help overcome a negative outlook so you can live out your dreams and look forward to the life you have ahead of you.
Take Control of your Health Care
One of the most empowering and crucial things you can do when living with chronic illness is to take charge of the decisions about your health. Some people mindlessly go through the motions, allowing others to determine what’s in their best interest.
You can educate yourself about your health issue and be informed when attending your appointments with doctors to discuss it. If you sit back and allow anything to happen to you, you will feel powerless whenever something goes wrong. For some diseases/diagnoses you may find that the doctor doesn’t know much about your condition. You have to do the research and learn all you can about it.
Stay informed about your illness. Medicine is a continually ground-breaking industry, and whether you’re looking into traditional Western medicine or more holistic options, you want to discover your options before moving forward.
Another way taking a leading role will help you is by enabling you to choose your healthcare team. You might be restricted by insurance, but you can compare reviews and visits with medical professionals to assemble a team that works on your behalf, and you feel comfortable and happy about how things are managed. Don’t let your healthcare professionals intimidate you. You know your body and how it feels better than anyone else. If your provider doesn’t listen to you and work with you, find a different one. I was fortunate to have a caring CNP who listened to me, read the research I gave her, gave me referrals to those who might help and worked with me to try things I found in my research.
When you’re in control, you can also set a schedule and help choose the medications and treatments that works best for you. You’ll be able to do it with the help of a doctor, but not sitting on the sidelines without any input whatsoever.
Read more posts about Chronic Illness
One of the things you probably need to do, especially early on in your illness (even before diagnosis) is keep track of your symptoms. Doing so can give you the information your doctor needs to determine a diagnosis or course of action. I created a symptom tracker that is available in my Etsy store as a printable or an Amazon in paperback form.
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