What is a chronic illness?
A recent diagnosis of a life-changing or limiting illness or condition. Or a chronic condition that has changed how you live your life. This can be a life-limiting (terminal) diagnosis or a chronic condition that will need ongoing maintenance.
As the word suggests, chronic means that an illness or disease can last for a while. Perhaps a year or a lifetime. When living with a chronic illness or invisible illness, you may need managed care to do daily tasks. This includes everyday activities such as getting dressed, moving around the house, or making food. This impacts the direct environment around you. Such as friends, family, and kids.
What is Considered a Chronic Illness?
A diagnosis of chronic illness or an invisible illness could be:
Any type of cancer
Lung Cancer
Breast Cancer
Liver Cancer
Bone Cancer
Skin Cancer
Prostate Cancer
Lymphoma
Colorectal Cancer
Kidney (renal) cancer
Diabetes
Hypertension
Liver failure
HIV/Aids
Amputation
Heart disease / Heart failure
COVID
Crohn's colitis disease
End-stage renal disease (ESRD) or kidney failure
Arthritis
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Fibromyalgia
Chronic Illness Impacts Your Mental Health
When living with chronic illness, you may experience anxiety, stress, worry, or blame. You may find yourself questioning "why me?” Additionally, you may be at a loss. Experiencing denial, hopelessness, being tearful, or lacking clarity. This may mean you cannot see your future so easily which leaves you concerned about finances or worried about being a burden. Plus, this can cause worry about how you’re going to handle the condition, including making medical appointments, transportation, dietary changes or how you’ll feel after treatments.
When access is limited and getting around is challenging, this can leave you unsure if you want to do a treatment. This can create anxiety about what treatment will look like and if there even is a treatment available. Perhaps, you’re concerned about loved ones being overwhelmed. There is a lot to think about when life changes completely. This can lead to further mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, grief, and trauma.
Does This Mean this Condition Defines Me Now?
So now that we have addressed the scary stuff. Chronic illness breeds a lot of anxiety, worry, and concern. You may think about how you are going to do this if there is no hope, and the burden you may have on those around you. Yet, you didn’t ask for this and that’s important to remember. You’re not trying to be an inconvenience, and if you could choose differently, you likely would have.
Let me say this clearly, you are a person, not an inconvenience. No one needs to make you feel like a burden, because you’re not. You’re a person and your life changed. Now you’re just trying to go with the punches. This does not define you. You define yourself! You’re more than what your chronic illness or invisible illness makes you seem. There is still a life worth living and support waiting on the other side of this. Even if it feels impossible or support is nowhere to be found, there is help.
A Team Approach to Provide Support for Chronic Illness Matters in San Francisco, CA
So, what is next now that you have come to a reckoning with living with a chronic illness? Support! Here are some avenues on where you can go next.
What is therapy for chronic illness?
Individual therapy for chronic illness is a space for you to be heard and seen. You’re not a burden to your bay area therapist and they want to help you with acceptance and discover new hope. This can help you unpack what you have been feeling in a safe, supportive and nonjudgmental environment.
Family Therapy
Sometimes we need counseling for the change that the whole family is dealing with. Maybe you’re struggling to explain to your loved ones what is happening, or perhaps there is a lot of tension that needs to be worked through. Family therapy in the San Francisco Bay Area can give you the space to heal.
Caregiver support
Sometimes caregivers need support too! If you or your loved one is beginning to experience caregiver burnout or caregiver fatigue, it may be time to focus on your mental health. Support for caregivers does not mean you are resentful or being dramatic. Taking care of another person takes a toll, and we all need a helping hand.
Collaborating with doctors/treatment teams
At Bay Area Therapy for Wellness, I have found that the most important part of working with medical teams and therapists is the collaboration aspect. If you are living with a chronic illness, you likely have a team behind you trying to assist in any way possible. If that is the case, it is important to ensure everyone is on the same page when working together on your well-being.
Tips To Support You Right Now in This Transition
Let us be honest, this is a lot to process right now. As an online therapist who offers therapy for chronic illness and caregiver support, I also believe that along with instilling hope, we need tangible tools to assist in the transition. Here are a few:
Write down things either on paper or in the note section of your cell phone as they come to mind. Trying to remember everything is too hard. Thus, writing things down can make you feel less overwhelmed. This includes questions for your doctors, things to do, and conversations you want to have with your team and your loved ones.
Ask your doctor if you can record your appointment with them. Often, it can be hard to remember the details of what a doctor said. Being able to go back and listen to the conversation can be so helpful and most cell phones offer this capability.
Decide to start talking with a trained therapist. Being able to have a safe space to talk about fears and struggles will take the weight off your shoulders. Know, that there cannot be darkness where there is light.
Breathe! Focus on taking 5-10 deep breaths (called belly breathing) when you are feeling overwhelmed. Deep, intentional breathing helps us give ourselves a small "reset.” This allows us to be able to think more clearly and feels less overwhelming.
A Quality Life is Still Possible with Chronic Illness
The truth is, that counseling cannot cure any physical disease. Yet, it does help to process a diagnosis, make things less scary, provide clarity, and help plan for the uncertain future. Together, we can work to make things more manageable. This means we will be having hard conversations together and you’ll get the support you need to have hard conversations with your loved ones. And, even though it may not feel like it right now, we'll find ways to spark joy in your life. We will do this regardless of what is happening with the diagnosis. Hope for a future and a good quality of life is still possible. If you need support, contact me and see how therapy for chronic illness can support you today!
When You're Ready, Begin Therapy for Chronic Illness Therapy in the San Francisco Bay Area
Chronic illness is not easy to manage. Not everyone has support or the means to get the help they need. Yet, getting support and restoring hope is the key to overcoming the anxiety, grief, depression, and sense of being a burden. Hope is near and as an online therapist, I strive to make therapy more accessible to you. If you are ready to see how therapy at Bay Area Therapy for Wellness can help. Begin therapy for chronic illness by following these simple steps:
Meet with your experienced and compassionate bay area online therapist
Start taking back your life and finding joy
Other Counseling Services at Bay Area Therapy for Wellness
Chronic illness can leave you feeling like there is no hope in life. I am here to let you know there is hope for you. If therapy for chronic illness is not the service you are seeking in our Bay Area counseling center, check out our other services. As an online therapist in the San Francisco bay area, I also provide caregiver support, family therapy, grief therapy, anxiety therapy, and depression therapy. All of my services are available through online therapy throughout California. Reach out to get started!
