Are you feeling lost and overwhelmed with a chronic illness diagnosis? Are you ready to start living the life you dreamed of, the one on the other side of chronic disease?
The average person has a ten percent chance of developing an autoimmune condition. Did you know that if a person within your family has been diagnosed with an autoimmune illness, your chances of developing one increase substantially?
Almost all autoimmune diseases currently are incurable at this time. While it may be overwhelming coming to terms with being chronically ill, it is important to know that you can have a life beyond chronic illness.
These four tips helped me move from being overwhelmed and lost to having a meaning-filled life while living with incurable chronic illness.
Focus On What’s Within Your Control
With the unpredictability of many autoimmune conditions, it can seem like your life is spinning out of control. You may feel as if your life is completely out of balance, and you can do nothing.
I’m proof that there are things you can do to regain balance and reclaim your life. When I was diagnosed, nothing seemed to be left within my control. It all happened regardless of how I felt or wanted, from flares to specialist appointments and lab work.
A strange thing happened when I started focusing on what was within my control, such as my nutrition and stress levels–my symptoms didn’t seem so out of control. Instead, some of them calmed down to almost nothing.
You may not be able to cure the disease, but when you work on managing your symptoms through diet, exercise, rest, etc., you start to take back your life. This is because you have a mindset shift, too, one that lets you see what is possible rather than what is not.
Adjust Your Goals and Aspirations
It can be hard to watch goals you set for yourself disappear because your body can’t do things the same way anymore. So I may never run a marathon with my body, but there are other goals I can focus on.
When you realize that things are possible, you can investigate new hobbies and interests to find new goals. You may even choose to look into a new career.
Sure, chronic diseases, like most autoimmune ones, mean changes, but it doesn’t mean you have to settle for less than you want. You do have to be open to finding it differently, though.
Find Support Groups and Care
One of the hardest things I dealt with when I was first diagnosed was feeling all alone. People surrounded me, but I felt no one understood what I was going through.
With over twenty million people suffering from various autoimmune conditions, you are never alone. You may have to find your people, but there are a variety of support groups out there. And remember, support doesn’t have to be face-to-face; online support can be as helpful and rewarding as in-person support.
When you get support from others, who know what it’s like, you gain new perspectives, tools, and ways to manage your symptoms.
Be Flexible and Have Bad Days
During the first few months after diagnosis, I remember thinking I have no right to feel down or upset about having lupus. I thought that it wouldn’t be productive if I allowed myself to grieve for the life I had planned. I was wrong.
Studies show that allowing ourselves to have bad days and being able to admit when it is a bad day can help us manage our conditions better. Practicing that flexibility allows us to have a more realistic outlook. Having a realistic outlook makes us better prepared for the harder days without stressing or getting too disappointed. It’s okay to have a bad day, and it’s fine to admit it is a bad day. Give yourself permission to say and feel those things.
Living with an incurable autoimmune condition isn’t easy. Some days you may feel like everything is beyond hope, but when you use these tips, you can start to find the path to life beyond chronic illness, you know, the one that’s meaning-filled and full of joy.
Take the Next Step
I became a health and wellness coach to have the tools available to help others move past the overwhelm of chronic disease and transform their lives into meaning-filled ones that they love, providing you with the support that can reshape your world. If you need help managing any aspect of your condition or want to feel supported, let’s connect and get you back to living life beyond chronic illness. Supportegy Wellness provides chronic illness support through various proven ways, including chronic illness support groups.