Being diagnosed with any kind of chronic illness isn’t pleasant. No matter what kind of symptoms you’re dealing with, a chronic disease is certainly a life changer. However, there are some things you can do to make sure you make life as easy as possible for yourself. Here are some ways you can put a fight against your chronic disease.
This woman researches online about a chronic disease. CC BY 2.0, Flickr.
Research
When you’re diagnosed with a new condition, it’s likely that you’ll want to know all about it. Your doctor will probably give you some information, but most people don’t take in as much as they’d like to after a diagnosis. When you have the time, do some research online. You’ll be able to find out about other people’s experiences, what treatments are likely to work for you and you can even look at innovative studies for new treatments, like gene editing technologies and life-saving therapeutics. In fact, you can get started at Poseida today. The more you know about your condition, the easier it will be for you to determine how to manage it.
Take the Reigns
Your doctor isn’t solely responsible for your health. When it comes to managing chronic conditions, you need to take most of the responsibility. For example, a diabetic that binges on sugar when they’re aware that they shouldn’t, isn’t doing anything to improve their health. Your doctor will be able to prescribe you medicines that can help your condition, but the majority of the time, they aren’t allowed to make other suggestions. You could try keeping a food diary and write down details of how you feel after eating certain foods. It will help you to narrow down the foods that are good and bad for you.
Smoking can worsen a chronic illness, along with other bad habits. CC BY-ND 2.0, Flickr.
Lifestyle Changes
One of the biggest struggles that people with chronic conditions face is changing habits of a lifetime. Many chronic diseases are worsened by bad habits, like smoking, drinking, poor diet or lack of exercise. It isn’t easy to make changes but when it comes to your health, it’s worth it. If your doctor recommends giving up smoking or eating less fatty foods and including more exercise, you won’t be helping yourself if you ignore the advice.
A Burden Shared is a Burden Halved
It’s important to tell your family and friends of what you’re going through and how it makes you feel. If no-one knows that you’re struggling, they won’t know that you need help. The stress of dealing with a chronic condition alone can impact your chances of dealing with it well. Having someone to take over every day chores when you find it difficult to muster the strength will be a big help.
Don’t Let It Get You Down
People with chronic conditions are at greater risk of developing depression and anxiety. If you feel that your disease is severely affecting your mood, it’s important you seek help. Treatment could be anything, from simply adjusting your medication to counselling sessions. The more you’re able to talk about your condition, the more people can do to help you through it.
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