Six Ways to Live Better with a Chronic Illness?
Living with a chronic illness can be very difficult for the patient and their family. Chronic is a persistent or constantly recurring illness, disease, or condition. A chronic disease can be a long-term health condition that may not ever have a cure.
Chronic Illnesses
Here is a list of some chronic illnesses that people face:
- Alzheimer’s
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Cancer
- COPD
- Crohn disease
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Dementia
- Diabetes
- Epilepsy
- Heart Disease
- HIV/AIDS
- Lupus
- Mood Disorders (bipolar, depression)
- MS
- Parkinson Disease
People living with chronic illness or disease can make you feel very alone. Here are some ideas on how to live a better life with a chronic disease.
1. Talk With People who Have Your Same Illness
One suggestion is to share with and learn from people who have the same illness, understanding, and feelings as you, which will help you cope with your illness.
2. Join a Support Group
Join a support group in your area for people who have the same chronic disease as you. Many organizations and hospitals run support groups. If you cannot locate one on your own, ask your health care provider how to find one in your area. Find an online group. There are also online blogs and discussion groups on many topics. This might be a better support for you then in person.
3. Tell Others About Your Chronic Illness
Some people find it hard to tell others about their chronic illness. You may worry that they will not want to know about it or that they will judge you. You may feel embarrassed about your illness. These are normal feelings.
It is important to tell loved ones, friends, and neighbors about your illness to help keep you safe. If you happen to have a medical emergency, then people will understand what is happening and communicate with the ambulance or your doctor to step in and help.
4. Let People Help you
There may be people in your life who want to help you take care of yourself. Let your loved ones and friends know how they can help you. You may not always want people’s help. You might not want their advice. Tell them as much as you feel comfortable. Ask them to respect your privacy if you don’t want to talk about it. If you attend a support group, you may want to take family members, friends, or others along. By letting people know, it can help them learn more about your illness and how to support you.
5. Get Help With Your Daily Tasks
People with chronic conditions may need help with self-care tasks, getting to appointments, shopping, or household chores. Keep a list of people who you can ask for help. Learn to accept help when it is offered. Many people are happy to help and are glad to be asked.
6. Work with a Primary Care Team
Let Hillandale Primary Care & Laser Center assist you in diagnosing and helping you with your chronic illness.
Hillandale Primary Care & Laser Center is owned and operated by Dr. Saira Tariq Niaz, who is a board-certified family physician with offices in Lithonia and Lawrenceville, Georgia. Hillandale Primary Care provides patient-focused, compassionate healthcare of the highest quality to each patient and delivers acute and chronic healthcare to patients of all ages. We are passionate about preventive medicine and encourage each of our patients to take an active role in maintaining overall health and wellbeing. Call today at 770.322-9660 or request an appointment.
