Living with chronic conditions isn’t a skill you can learn one time and have it all worked out. Illnesses go on, throwing new challenges at you. You make some positive changes, then life puts up roadblocks or problems, and you may feel like you have to start over.
This section will help you learn vital skills to stay motivated through the ups and downs of the chronic illness roller coaster.
You can click on the links in the left hand column to find information about becoming more active in your care and your health, or you can continue reading to preview the information in this section.
Dealing with Ups and Downs. Self-management is rarely a smooth process. There will be ups and downs, good and bad days, weeks, even months. It helps to keep an even keel – to get through the rough patches, and not get too excited in the good times. Read some tips for staying motivated and on-track. Read More. Turning Around Negative Thoughts. We can’t control all the factors that affect our health. But we can often learnt to control our thoughts. And thinking more positively can make a big difference in our happiness and our health. You don’t have to think positively about everything, all the time. What we want are realistic thoughts. We want to change unrealistically negative thoughts into more accurate, positive ones. Read more. Dealing with Difficult Emotions. The emotional demands of chronic illness can be even more challenging than the physical, for patients and families both. The good news is that learning to manage difficult emotions can bring us to a more positive outlook on life and better relationships than we ever had before. Learn ways to cope with painful feelings. Read More. Coping with Special Situations. If every day was the same, self-management would be easier. But life changes, and at certain times, we may have to work harder at it. Read about dealing with sick days, injuries, travel, visitors, holidays and other challenging times. Read More.
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