12 Ways Spoonies Cope With the Stress of Chronic Illness
As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts, Instagram has become an absolute treasure trove of practical information for people living with chronic illness. Here are 12 ways spoonies just like you cope with the stress of living with an invisible illness while having fun at the same time!
Being Stubborn
When living with a chronic illness, stubbornness can be both your best and your worst asset. On the one hand, you’re incredibly determined to not let your condition get the best of you, on the other, you tend to overdo it.
Still, being tenacious and having a fighting spirit is one of the most effective ways to cope with the stress of chronic illness.
Keep on keeping on, spoonie
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https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/emotional-freedom/201007/the-health-benefits-tears
Using Social Media
Connecting with others who understand exactly what you’re going through can be a life-saver. There is a very large and accepting group of people on social media websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram who continually support each other and help ease the burden of daily pain.
Look for hashtags such as, #spoonie, #chronicillness, #chronicpain, and #chroniclife.
Watching Mindless Movies
Distracting yourself from your pain can be a very healthy way to cope with the stress of living with a chronic illness.
Watching a movie you don’t have to pay attention to, means you have two socially acceptable hours to stare at one fixed object, let your mind wander, and relax.
(Alternatively, you can get lost in the ridiculous plot and forget your troubles for a while.)
Napping Like It’s Your Job
I don’t know about you, but napping is, by far, my favorite way to cope with my fatigue, anxiety, and feelings of overwhelm. When things get to be too much, I slip in my earbuds, turn on some soothing music, recline in my chair, and take a nap.
Sleeping, like crying, is not a sign of weakness or laziness. It’s simple self-care, and it’s important to engage in it regularly.
Setting and Accomplishing Small Goals
Another piece of useful advice I got from a fellow spoonie is setting small goals.
When
Dr. Lucia Gagliese April 4 th 2024 Assignment #2 PART 3: Figure 1 Biopsychosocial Model. PART 4: In Sherman Alexie's short story "War Dances," the protagonist displays a complex interplay of psychological, biological, and social influences. The narrative offers numerous instances of resilience, vulnerability, relationships, and community engagement, all of which play a significant role in the protagonist's ability to navigate health challenges and adapt to illness. Resilience is an individual's capacity to endure and bounce back from adversities, with resilient people usually having robust coping skills for managing illnesses
Generally many people quit a task, they quit because it gets to unbearable to handle. They can also talk themselves out of a opportunity that could change their life. A true survivor does not let this happen to them, they would say very motivated throughout the process. In the article Catching Kayla, Kayla Montgomery, 18 was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis Kayla did not let the disease change her life, so she decided to start running. “When she was diagnosed, she said to me, ‘Coach, I don’t know how much time I have left, so I want to run fast — don’t hold back,’ ” said Patrick Cromwell, Montgomery’s”. Like Kayla, a true survivor stands up and changes something, because they do not let bad news get in there way of succeeding. To succeed one who is optimistic if thriving must, not let anything get in there way of their dreams, goals or aspirations. Another great example of self motivation is Eric Thomas, a motivational speaker. In the video Nothing to Something, Eric say “I just rember me me saying like, you are homeless now but this is not the rest of your life man. Regardless you played the role of getting yourself here, now you got to get yourself out.” Eric is a true example of a survivor, is motivated to get himself out. One must be willing to stay driven and change there whole life around in order to
Matthew Ring, a young teenager, was struggling with many depressing and anxious thoughts.After hiding these feelings for some time, he finally gathered the courage to tell his parents. This only allowed his family to recognize his anxious and depressive tendencies.his parents faced the questions of how social media would affect Matthew. Would it help him, or only make things worse? With 92 percent of teens going online every day, according to the Paw Research Center, Matthew used Instagram, the second most common social network site, to reach out to his peers. There he found that many other teens also struggle with the same depressive and anxious thoughts as him. Through making his account focused around supporting others in a positive way, Matthew shows his now over 6000 followers his message of hope.
Shaw-Stabler has battled systematic lupus for several years, enduring serious side effects, such as kidney failure, along the way. In her narrative, Live with the Wolf and Surviving Lupus, she provides optimistic views to patients struggling with lupus. She does this by encouraging lupus patients to “keep the faith and continue the fight,” (Shaw-Stabler, 2010 14). She goes onto explain that communication with one’s body is key when dealing with a chronic diseases such as lupus. This is because you can only take action once you know what your body is trying to communicate with you. For Shaw-Stabler, she began to listen to her body is 1978. This is when she discovered that she had lupus. The author acknowledges the fact that having lupus is hard; “Too often our disabilities are invisible, and in our culture, if one isn’t missing a limb or an eye or even bleeding visibly, they are not seen as being disabled,” (Shaw-Stabler, 2010 16). This maintains the notion that those with chronic diseases do not fit the sick role clearly. The sick role is defined as social expectations regarding how society should view sick people and how sick people should behave (Class notes: Social Meanings of Illness ppt
Moreover, social media can be very beneficial to patients suffering from chronic conditions as well as their family and friends (Norton & Strauss, 2013). For rare diseases local community support groups may not be available. Social media steps in to fill this void by offering users a variety of different online support groups, blogs, newsletters, and networks. Individuals can use such resources to reach out to others with similar issues, find much needed support during difficult times, and become aware of treatments and medications that worked for others with their same illness that may prompt them to contact their doctor about other possibilities in treatment options. When used properly, smartphones and social media can be very beneficial to healthcare providers and patients.
When days come and you feel you can longere push ahead, look back at the reason you started to motiveate nad set the fire inside to kepe going. Nothnig about this disease is easy, so we need to stick together. When you need some light look towards this cape as a reminer you are a warrior….NO MATTER WHAT!!! You can be having a good day, bad day, or a real crappy one but one thing is for certain. Youre a fighter and will win this battle.
Being diagnosed with a chronic condition early on in life, and having an older sister who died from the same condition, could be enough to send someone into a deep depression and make it difficult to manage the disease. Her family’s continual support during her times of illness and recovery allows her a safe setting to adapt to any changes or new deficits and learn to cope successfully, which Grey, Knafl, and McCorkle (2006) explain, can lead to greater
When we as human beings are ill, most of our friends and family members long to take care of us. Most human beings appear to naturally have some level of compassion. Whether it's taking care of a baby or taking care of someone who is sick or elderly, most humans will step up when someone needs care. (Link 1) Out of care and compassion come (sometimes) kind words. Other times, even though these words are meant to be kind or even just curious, they can be hurtful or simply annoying. So below, I have complied a list of some of the words I have heard while suffering with a mystery illness.
The word challenging does not even begin to describe the starting point of my health struggles. For years, I battled an ever-growing list of strange symptoms until a doctor diagnosed me with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in 2010. Despite doing everything right–all that my doctor told me to do–my body became frailer by the day, and weight inexplicably dropped from my 5-foot 6-inch frame.
When someone is suffering or living with a chronic illness it can have a huge impact on them psychologically and socially. Chronic Illness is a condition that is prolonged in duration, usually more than 3 months and is rarely cured (DoH, 2012). Having to cope with a chronic condition might lead to life changes, such as dependency on others, loss of income, which can cause feelings of loss and reduced self-esteem. They can also report feelings of social rejection, poor healthcare and workplace termination due to their presenting condition (Earnshaw, Quinn, & Park, 2011).
Recovery of a patient is much more than the management of medial symptoms. It involves a person regaining control, individualism and independency, “socially re-connecting” and rebuilding their life (Welch, 2010). Protective factors such as self-care, quality of life, pain and illness perception, and physical outcomes can be associated with the recovery of a patient. Welch suggest, “Excessive individualism or self-reliance is an obstacle to resilience when it undermines relationships or prevents people seeking and receiving help when they need it” (Welch,
You’ve been living with the struggle for as long as you’ve lived and almost nobody gets you. You’ve been accused of failure when nobody can face the obstacles you faced. You’ve been a fighter all the way. It might be difficult for people around you to understand what’s happening inside your mind but most importantly... YOU have to understand what’s going on your mind and how to use your extraordinary skills.
The World Health Organization states that chronic illness hurts the “quality of life of individuals” and that the number of people suffering from is increasing. In the short term a chronic illness can decrease a person’s level of independence and levels of interaction, leading to isolation and a decrease in the amount of daily activities a person can engage in. Long term, it can lead to loss of motivation, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress. Additionally, studies have shown that in some cases, when patients are experiencing severe depression or hopelessness, the patient may stop taking the medicine they are prescribed to treat the illness. There are a variety of steps that can be taken in order to alleviate these negative psychological effects, including therapy and medication. Another approach is positive psychology.
Personal Strife can either define one or break one. Whilst the vast majority face issues that produce a major subsequent impact immediately, a select few face the same battle everyday. Chronic illness are seldom discussed about nor mentioned amid conversation. Although it causes me great pain, I have matured from the experience: The daily life of growing up with juvenile Arthritis.
Let me start off by saying–the trials you’ve endured, the tears you’ve shed over this illness, the obstacles you fought so hard to overcome–they have not gone unnoticed. Daily, I see you battle a set of invisible symptoms most will never see. Your unwavering determination and strength inspire me. Your vast knowledge humbles me. Know that if I see you, others do too. We see a good