Chronic or Terminal Illness

Coping with a chronic illness is challenging.

A chronic illness is a condition that can last for years or even a lifetime. Many chronic illnesses are what we refer to as “invisible” or “dynamic,” meaning it may not be readily apparent from the outset that you have an illness – or the intensity of the illness may wax and wane.

Many older adults receive diagnoses of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other problems that can alter one’s life, making it difficult to adjust to the new normal.

Just because you can’t work doesn’t mean you’re on vacation. Your time is taken up with doctors’ appointments and trying to conserve your energy by doing what you need to do to keep yourself alive.

Managing the condition is a full-time job, and yet at the same time, you want to maintain your quality of life.

Maintaining strength with a terminal diagnosis is overwhelming.

Sometimes, your disease has no cure, diagnosed as terminal. Terminal diseases like some forms of cancer differ from chronic conditions in that treatments will not lead to a cure but prolong your life a while.

Those diagnosed with a terminal illness can find it challenging to process and requires considerable willpower and strength.

It’s hard to talk about the finality of your life while trying to maintain some semblance of trying to live the remainder of your life.

Managing life from day to day takes on a whole new meaning.

Dealing with a chronic or terminal illness is isolating and frustrating.

Not only do your friends and family have difficulty understanding what’s happening with you, but even doctors don’t have all the answers.

Some suggest that your chronic condition “is all in your head,” leading to self-blame like you somehow brought this on yourself – but nobody wants to feel sick.

While your illness is certainly not your fault, a long-haul sickness or terminal diagnosis can alter your thinking patterns after some time and lead to depression or anxiety for a variety of reasons.

People with chronic or terminal illnesses are especially at risk of changes in their family or relationship dynamics, financial stressors, difficulty working or feeling “productive,” loss of social interactions, isolation, and struggle to deal with symptoms such as pain.

Therapy helps with the coping process.

Dealing with a chronic or terminal illness is not easy, and it’s not uncommon to grieve for the life that you once lived or are enduring now.

You can learn ways to cope with your illness effectively. The more you understand your condition, the more able you will be to learn to manage, both emotionally and physically.

Learning to manage and face the reality of your condition is where I can help. While working together, we will evaluate ways you can learn to manage and make positive lifestyle choices.

You will learn how to establish healthy boundaries not only with yourself, but with those around you. This will lead to more effective communication and self-advocacy.

There is no need for you to suffer in silence with the hand that life dealt you.

Contact me today, and together we will find ways to make your life less stressful as you learn to process issues related to your illness.