How To Cope With Anxiety When You Have A Chronic Illness

Learn About Your Condition

Considering your new illness will be for the long-term, it helps to know everything there is to know about it. This will lessen your anxiety, knowing that no surprises should be creeping up on you.

On the other hand, this does not mean you should be researching your chronic illness from anywhere. This will just increase your anxiety if you read about people’s worst-case scenarios. Learn what you can from your doctor and medical books from your local library. You can also observe your own body and take notes on what treatments work and do not work for you.

Self-Manage a New Routine

It will seem overwhelming when you realize how your life will change. But, these changes will not seem so major if you follow your treatment plan daily. After that, it will be your new normal. Continue taking your medications as directed and attended your wellness appointments. You can even set up reminders on your phone to keep better track of it all.

Other than the self-care methods you need for your illness, do not forget to take care of your body’s needs like eating, sleeping, and exercising. You will be in a much better mood knowing you are taking care of yourself.

Emotional Management

How your chronic illness can disrupt your life can also disrupt your emotions. You may feel stress, rage, frustration, depression, and anxiety. If you do not feel emotionally well, it will worsen your physical symptoms.

Managing your emotions is a great way to get control back. In moments when you feel completely overwhelmed with emotion, incorporate wellness techniques into your life, like journaling out your frustrations. You can also exercise to allow those feel-good endorphins to kick in or listen to music that will make you happy.

Keep Yourself Socialized

Your anxiety and depression could keep you away from your friends and family as you believe they do not understand what you are going through. If they are willing to listen to you share your stories, you can meet them halfway and allow them to be involved. Make it a goal to call or get together weekly with a friend or relative. You will be surprised at how supportive and comforting they can be when you give them a chance.

Acceptance

An obstacle that can interfere with living with your symptoms is wanting things to change. You wish your health was the way it was before your diagnosis. By accepting that this is how your life is going to be from now on, you will no longer be in denial about your chronic illness. Your chronic illness does not have to define you, but you can accept that it is a part of your life as a way to relieve your anxiety.

We are here to help. Learn more about our anxiety services, and contact us soon.