When Your Health Sucks and You're Stressed Out

Stress can make it so much harder to live with a chronic medical issue and living with a chronic medical condition is often very stressful. In fact, stress can account for 75% of all doctors visits.

1. Move your body as much as you’re able to given your chronic condition. Not everyone with a chronic medical issue is capable of attending a spin class, but move and stretch in whatever ways you are able and keep doing it.

2. Spend time talking to your support network. Talk with the people you really care about. Be around someone who can make you laugh. Feel the warmth of those who care about you.

3. Work on finding a place of acceptance. Does this condition make you feel more empathy towards others? Does it make you feel more confident in who you are as a person in spite of living with this condition? Even if you are able to find a treatment or the condition is temporary, remember that you will still have to live and cope with this condition for some period of time. How do you build acceptance around that?

4. Ensure that you have some down time for yourself. Make space and time for yourself as much as you’re able. Listen to a podcast on your way home from work or just observe the world around you. Even making 5 minutes for yourself, is necessary.

5. Every day, prioritize what is most important and set your pride aside to ask for help if you need it.