Wellbeing

Living And Dealing With Long-Term Illness

Many of us make the mistake of thinking that long-term illness is only something that affects older people. Sadly, however, that’s not the case. People of all ages can suffer from chronic illness. Many of us think that if we lead healthy lives – eat right and exercise regularly, we can protect ourselves from serious illness. While leading a healthy lifestyle helps to prevent medical problems, it doesn’t guarantee a healthy life.

Being diagnosed with a long-term illness can be terrifying. Especially if it’s an illness, that’s hard to treat. The most important thing that you can do is stay positive. There’s nothing you can do about the hand you’ve been dealt, so don’t get down about it. It might be hard, at first, to come to terms with things but in time, you will do. It’s completely natural to feel sad, scared and angry, but don’t let those feelings rule your life. Living with long-term illness isn’t something anyone wants. However, when it comes to our healthy, some of us are just unlucky.

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Finding out that you’ve got a serious illness might be hard, but it’s important not to let it rule your life. To make it easier to cope and deal with a long-term illness, here are a few tips and pieces of advice to take note of. Remember, it’s about your own personal journey. Every illness is different, and it’s important to understand that.

Do research

First things first, do your research. So you’ve just been diagnosed with a certain disease, the next step is to do some in-depth research. You might think that you know everything that there is to know, especially if it’s a common illness, but that’s not always the case. Use the internet to find out as much as you can about the condition that you’re suffering from. As well as researching the treatments available. Medical journals are always good for finding credible information, so it might be worth having a browse in them.

It’s a good idea to look at all the treatments available, from doctor approved ones to holistic options. Many doctors don’t approve of alternative medicine. However, for treating long-term illnesses, sometimes herbal remedies can have fantastic results. Think of it this way, anything that could help to make you better is worth a try. As part of your research, look at medical trials for treating your condition. If you come across a suitable one, consider getting involved. It’s also worth checking out new treatments like those mentioned on http://poseida.com/technology/. When it comes to your treatment, being open-minded is important.

Speak to your doctor

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Once you’ve done your research and have learnt a little more about your condition, the next step is to talk to your doctor. Make an appointment to go and discuss your illness with your doctor. The chances are that when you were first diagnosed, you were unable to take much in. So making an appointment to go back and see your doctor after your diagnosis is a good idea.

You can discuss whatever you want with them. From what your illness means for your life to treatments you’ve come across on the internet. Take full advantage of seeing your doctor and discuss anything that you’re unsure about. It’s important that you have a good understanding of your illness so that you know what to expect. Don’t be afraid to ask anything, the more you can find out, the better.

Distinguish your illness from yourself

When diagnosed with a serious illness, many of us make the mistake of thinking of ourselves simply as being sick. However, that’s a big mistake. When you’re suffering from a chronic illness, it’s important to realise that you’re not just someone who’s sick, you’re still you. You might not be able to do everything that you used to be able to, but you shouldn’t let yourself become your illness. For more information about this, check out http://psychcentral.com.

The condition that you’re suffering from is part of you, but it’s not the whole of you. There’s so much more to you than someone who’s sick, and it’s important to realise that. Many of us think that when we’re sick, that’s all there is to us. However, that’s not the case, you’re still you, even when you’re ill.

Learn to be positive

We’ve already touched on this, but it’s worth going into more detail. It’s easy to become negative when you’re unwell, especially when your illness is long-lasting. However, it’s important to stay as positive as possible, as this will make coping easier. If you spend your time being negative, you’ll feel worse because of it. It might be hard to be positive at first, but it’s important to learn how to be positive about your life.

Find the silver lining in your illness and you’ll feel better for it. You may not be in full health, but at least, you’re not bedridden. Perhaps you have to take ten medications a day, but at least, it’s not 30. Look for the positives in every situation and you’ll soon find it easier to be a positive person. To help yourself overcome negativity, visit http://tinybuddha.com.

Stay active

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Don’t spend all your time sat inside worry about your illness and the future, instead go out and get active. You may not be able to hit the gym every day, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t stay active. It’s about finding ways to exercise that don’t aggravate your illness, but help you to release tension and stay fit.

Be it power walking, swimming or yoga, how you choose to stay in shape doesn’t matter. It’s just important that you find a way of staying active that allows you to keep your body as healthy and strong as possible. Regular exercise can also help your mental health, making you less prone to anxiety, stress and depression. People who suffer from chronic illness are more likely to develop these three things. So finding ways to boost your mental health is important.

Make time to socialise

Don’t let the fact that you’re unwell stop you from socialising. It might be easier to stay in, but it’s important to make the effort to go out and see your friends. You’ll find that dealing with things is a lot easier and more manageable if you chat about them with your friends. It’s never a good idea to bottle up your feelings. Share how you feel with the people who care about you and you’ll feel better for it.

It’s easy to get down when you’re suffering from a chronic illness. To prevent yourself from getting down, it’s important that you stay busy. The less you think about things, the happier and more positive you’ll be. Spend as much time as you can socialising with your friends; go for coffee, go shopping, plan day trip. Get out and about and have fun.

Eat healthily

One of the most important things you can do when suffering from a chronic illness is ensure that you’re getting all the right nutrients. The more good stuff you’re putting into your body, the healthier and stronger it will be. That’s why following a healthy diet is so important, as it can help to increase your immune system and strength. Avoid unhealthy, processed foods, as these will only make your health worse.

Often, people who suffer from chronic illnesses are more prone to common viruses, so a strong immune system is important. Your diet should be packed full of lean meats, poultry, fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lots of grains, beans and pulses. The healthier your diet, the healthier your body will be. For an extra vitamin boost, add some supplements to your diet. From vitamin pills to health drinks like pure aloe vera gel, there are plenty of ways you can boost your nutrient intake.

Make the most of life

Out of all the tips and advice for dealing with long-term illness, this is by far the most important. Don’t let your illness ruin your life or stop you from doing things; you only get one life, so live it. You might be unwell, but at least, you’re alive and have the opportunity to do all the things you’ve always dreamed of doing. Don’t hold back, make a list of all the things that you want to do and do them.

Living with chronic illness might make life more of a challenge, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. We’ve all got hurdles to overcome, but that’s just a part of life. Don’t let your illness, whatever it may be, hold you back. As we’ve mentioned above, a medical condition should never distinguish you. Take every opportunity and do all the things that you want to, so that when you’re old you don’t look back and regret the things you didn’t do.

At first, it may take some time to adjust to your diagnosis but try not to let it get you down. You probably didn’t think your life would take this route, but it has, and it’s important to make the best of it.

 

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