Did you know that over 40 different life events are linked to grief, including chronic illness? Chronic illness presents us with a complicated form of grief. Every day, we are confronted with this condition that has altered our lives and continues to alter them.
It’s perfectly natural to feel confused about having a chronic illness which changes our lives, from our dreams to our day-to-day routines. However, coming to peace with our “new normal” and determining our new journey can be hard, especially when we don’t control how our condition affects us.
It is essential to learn how to cope with grief from chronic illness since it can repeat. Each time you have a new symptom or medication that used to work well isn’t as effective, it can feel like going through the loss of who we were and the life we were building all over again. Knowing how to cope with this grief can help you move forward in your journey with chronic illness.
4 Coping tips for grief caused by Chronic Illness
- Feeling the Emotions: I don’t place a time limit on this. I don’t judge myself for not “getting over it.” Instead, I remind myself that these emotions allow me to move forward.
- Surging Self-Care: Doing something as small as making myself a cup of tea (a special flavour I don’t always have) can make a difference in how I feel. Some days, I may focus on making sure my self-talk is filled with kindness.
- Focusing on Things that Bring Joy: I’m not talking about big things either. I create moments each day to experience and fully enter these moments, from doing hobbies to spending time with people. Chronic illness may mean changing things, but it doesn’t mean I have to give up having a meaning-filled life.
- Helping Others: This gives me another way to create a meaning-filled life. Helping others or offering moments of kindness are surefire ways to help make you feel better. This makes me feel better while helping someone else, but it also starts to build meaning or purpose in my life when I may not feel it’s possible.
These steps help me cope with the grief from chronic illness and reach the final stage, which I call adaptation instead of acceptance. Acceptance doesn’t fit right because my chronic conditions have me adapting to my new normal as new symptoms occur, so I use the word adaptation.
I know these things all sound simple, but they can be hard to do when struggling with emotions. It is important to consider how you view your condition and your expectations for your life. Instead of thinking in absolutes, start to focus on the silver linings in each moment.
Whenever you find yourself in a grief cycle, acknowledge the emotions. Remind yourself you are not alone; you aren’t facing these challenges in isolation. Reflect on the changes you can make and continue to make while striving towards your dreams.
Why Supportegy Wellness Coaching?
If you need help managing grief, stress, nutrition or more, 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.