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(Cricket) MANAGING CHRONIC ILLNESS
Five Steps For Managing Your Chronic Illness
STEP ONE: Face Your Fears
When you're worried about your diagnosis, your symptoms, and what will happen to you in the future, it becomes very difficult to see beyond your illness, which might prevent you from enjoying the positive aspects of your life. Control your fear of the unknown by learning basic facts about your illness. Question your doctor: 'What symptoms should I expect?' 'What treatment is best for me?' 'What are the common side effects of my treatment?'. Check out books from the library, explore the WWW or contact national organizations involved with your illness. By educating yourself, you increase your ability to take an active role in managing your illness. You have a right and a responsibility to understand what's happening inside your own body.
STEP TWO: Be Good To Yourself
Maybe you're wondering what you did to deserve such a horrible illness. Give yourself a break and stop thinking negative thoughts. You didn't do anything to make your illness happen. Your illness may be hard to accept, but you can't change it; so focus instead on how you're going to handle it. Promise yourself that you won't give up. Get on with your life and stay positive. Though life has brought you something unexpected, don't stop pursuing your dreams. Focus on things that lift your spirits (a hobby, your family and friends, your pet, a walk in the fresh air).
STEP THREE: Know Your Limits
There's a difference between limiting yourself and knowing your limits. When you limit yourself, you hold yourself back from doing things you really want to do. You refuse to try new things because, after all, how can a 'sick person' be expected to live a 'normal' life? When you know and respect your limits, you're taking an active role in managing your illness. You're deciding not to push yourself further than you know your body can go. Take some time to get to know the patterns of your illness. Eventually, you'll become familiar with your body's needs, and you'll know what you should and shouldn't do. New limits can be hard to accept, but once you know your limits, you can learn to work around them and still accomplish your goals and have fun. While it may not always seem convenient to find creative solutions for coping with your limitations, it can be done, and your health is your #1 priority.
STEP FOUR: Focus on What You Can Do
What are your strengths or talents? Get involved in activities that allow you to explore your interests and maybe even show off a little. When you focus on what you CAN do, you'll have a better chance of staying positive and bouncing back when things don't go your way. If you're feeling down, helping someone else just might make you feel better. Help an elderly neighbor plant a garden, get involved in a community or school program. When you perform a service for another person, you'll forget your own troubles for a while.
STEP FIVE: Express your feelings
Chronic illness can be an emotional rollercoaster ride. Some days you'll feel great; other times will be difficult. No matter what other people may say, you have a right to feel a mix of emotions: anger, sadness, fear, embarrassement, anxiety, resentment, as well as feelings of triumph and accomplishment when you successfully manage your illness or achieve your goals. Don't put your feelings aside. Express your emotions. Talk about your feelings with a spouse, parent, sibling, friend, doctor or anyone else you trust. Even if you're not having serious problems, letting out your emotions is a good idea. Try keeping a journal -- you'll be surprised at how much better you'll feel after writing your thoughts on paper. Don't just write about your illness, let yourself (and your emotions) go!
From: Young People and Chronic Illness: True Stories, Help, and Hope ~By: Kelly Heugel
Hoping this will help brighten some of those cloudy days.
With Love,
Cricket
STEP ONE: Face Your Fears
When you're worried about your diagnosis, your symptoms, and what will happen to you in the future, it becomes very difficult to see beyond your illness, which might prevent you from enjoying the positive aspects of your life. Control your fear of the unknown by learning basic facts about your illness. Question your doctor: 'What symptoms should I expect?' 'What treatment is best for me?' 'What are the common side effects of my treatment?'. Check out books from the library, explore the WWW or contact national organizations involved with your illness. By educating yourself, you increase your ability to take an active role in managing your illness. You have a right and a responsibility to understand what's happening inside your own body.
STEP TWO: Be Good To Yourself
Maybe you're wondering what you did to deserve such a horrible illness. Give yourself a break and stop thinking negative thoughts. You didn't do anything to make your illness happen. Your illness may be hard to accept, but you can't change it; so focus instead on how you're going to handle it. Promise yourself that you won't give up. Get on with your life and stay positive. Though life has brought you something unexpected, don't stop pursuing your dreams. Focus on things that lift your spirits (a hobby, your family and friends, your pet, a walk in the fresh air).
STEP THREE: Know Your Limits
There's a difference between limiting yourself and knowing your limits. When you limit yourself, you hold yourself back from doing things you really want to do. You refuse to try new things because, after all, how can a 'sick person' be expected to live a 'normal' life? When you know and respect your limits, you're taking an active role in managing your illness. You're deciding not to push yourself further than you know your body can go. Take some time to get to know the patterns of your illness. Eventually, you'll become familiar with your body's needs, and you'll know what you should and shouldn't do. New limits can be hard to accept, but once you know your limits, you can learn to work around them and still accomplish your goals and have fun. While it may not always seem convenient to find creative solutions for coping with your limitations, it can be done, and your health is your #1 priority.
STEP FOUR: Focus on What You Can Do
What are your strengths or talents? Get involved in activities that allow you to explore your interests and maybe even show off a little. When you focus on what you CAN do, you'll have a better chance of staying positive and bouncing back when things don't go your way. If you're feeling down, helping someone else just might make you feel better. Help an elderly neighbor plant a garden, get involved in a community or school program. When you perform a service for another person, you'll forget your own troubles for a while.
STEP FIVE: Express your feelings
Chronic illness can be an emotional rollercoaster ride. Some days you'll feel great; other times will be difficult. No matter what other people may say, you have a right to feel a mix of emotions: anger, sadness, fear, embarrassement, anxiety, resentment, as well as feelings of triumph and accomplishment when you successfully manage your illness or achieve your goals. Don't put your feelings aside. Express your emotions. Talk about your feelings with a spouse, parent, sibling, friend, doctor or anyone else you trust. Even if you're not having serious problems, letting out your emotions is a good idea. Try keeping a journal -- you'll be surprised at how much better you'll feel after writing your thoughts on paper. Don't just write about your illness, let yourself (and your emotions) go!
From: Young People and Chronic Illness: True Stories, Help, and Hope ~By: Kelly Heugel
Hoping this will help brighten some of those cloudy days.
With Love,
Cricket
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