5 Ways To Care For Your Mental Health When You Have a Chronic Illness

Navigating life with a chronic illness doesn’t just mean that you have to remember to take your medication and add extra doctor appointments to your calendar.

You also have to come to terms that you have a condition that will affect your health for the rest of your life. This may impact what you do and whether you can participate in certain activities.

People with chronic health conditions are more likely to experience depression than their healthy peers for a number of reasons: You may have trouble coping with the reality that you’ve been diagnosed with a disease that you need to consider before making big and small life decisions, such as what to eat or where to travel.

Feelings of depression or anxiety aren’t inevitable just because you have a chronic illness. There are several proven ways to help preserve your mental health when you have a chronic health condition.

1. Create a routine to manage your mental health

You may struggle with feelings of worthlessness if you’re unable to keep up with the activities that you’ve done in the past, whether that means running a mile, cleaning the house or chasing after your grandchildren. If you need to stay home more than usual, you may feel lonely and isolated.

If your condition leaves you feeling tired and achy, that’s likely to bring down your mood. And managing your health may be emotionally exhausting in itself, depending on your condition.

Following a daily routine to manage your chronic condition makes certain tasks automatic, so you don’t have to think about what you’re doing, you just do them. This may help to eliminate some of the “why should I bother doing this?” or “why me?” thoughts which may crop up for unexciting aspects of your health maintenance.

Creating habits to take your medication without fail can help you stay on top of your condition. If you need to take a pill early in the morning, pair it with breakfast so that you remember to take it when you eat. If you need to take medicine midday when you may be busy with other activities, set an alarm on your phone as a reminder.

You can use this technique for other activities, too. Schedule a daily walk right after lunch, if it means that you’ll be more likely to get your exercise. Or plan to call a friend in the evening, so that you have someone to vent to, if you have a bad day.

“It’s important to create a daily schedule that includes a fun or rewarding experience such as relaxing with your family with a nighttime movie, or taking a lunchtime ‘walking meeting’ with a friend,” advises Dr. Maya Heinert, a California emergency physician who focuses on health and wellness. Scheduling a regular, preferably daily, event with a person who makes you feel happy or laugh becomes critically important when you receive a chronic diagnosis, whatever it may be.

2. Adopt habits that benefit mental and physical health

Taking steps to become the best version of yourself may help to boost your mental and physical health. Focus on lifestyle habits that are within your control to change. Ask your doctor for guidance. Eat healthy foods, and watch your portion control. Get some physical activity every day. Commit to sleeping at least 7 hours every night.

“Building new habits takes time, and there are things you have to do to really make a new habit part of a new lifestyle,” says Dr. Heinert. Research shows that humans are much more likely to change behavior when the action becomes automatically triggered, like putting your seatbelt on when you get in the car. Any kind of associated behavior that feels pleasurable is also likely to help a habit stick, like associating a walk (exercise) with someone who makes you happy (a friend).

All of these habits should help your body to function optimally, which may make it easier for you to manage pain, control your blood-sugar levels or otherwise manage your chronic condition. Following a healthy diet, getting regular exercise and sleeping the recommended length of time are also associated with improved moods and a lowered risk of depression, so adopting healthy lifestyle habits may directly benefit your mental health.

3. Reduce stressors in your life

The longer that you manage your chronic condition, the more likely you may be to feel stressed, overwhelmed and discouraged, especially if it seems that your efforts aren’t leading to positive changes.

Some people with chronic illnesses may experience burnout when they feel mentally and/or physically exhausted from having taken care of their conditions for so long without a break. They may feel hopeless about their health, and they may begin slacking on their care, which can cause a chronic condition to worsen.

“It’s also so critical for people to remember that it’s the tiny daily habits that add up to health – or in the case of a chronic condition, a noticeable change in their body or their lab tests,” says Dr. Heinert. The small things add up, but they may do so very slowly. For example, deciding to park at the far end of the parking lot at the grocery store feels like nothing in the short term. But if you start counting your steps, you’ll soon realize that if you consistently park in the farthest spot every time you go out, it will really change your overall activity for the day. Take a moment to realize that the little things you are adding in every day for your own health really do count and make a difference.

Taking time to do activities which you find soothing and enjoyable may help to lower your stress levels and reduce your chances of experiencing burnout.

People are often afraid to start a yoga or meditation practice because they may think it’s difficult, or boring, or won’t make a difference. But these ancient techniques for stress reduction have been shown over and over again to be helpful and effective. “People are often surprised that they can successfully lower stress and likely their blood pressure by even five or ten minutes a day of focusing on their breathing while sitting in a garden or walking,” says Dr. Heinert.

4. Practice self-compassion

Being self-compassionate may make it easier to live with chronic illness, according to research. The practice may help you maintain a more positive mindset, lower your risk of depression and make you better poised to manage your stress levels. To become more self-compassionate, adopt these three qualities:

Be kinder to yourself.

When you’re struggling to manage your health, be understanding and patient with yourself. Instead of judging yourself harshly when fatigue, pain or a flare-up makes it hard for you to accomplish things, offer yourself the same kind words and advice that you’d give to a friend in a similar situation. This may make it easier for you to cope with your circumstances.

Realize that your struggles are universal.

It’s crucial to recognize that you aren’t alone in dealing with a chronic condition. Everyone in the world experiences problems and challenges, and many people with your condition face the exact same feelings and set-backs that you’re facing. When you consider yourself to be a part of a larger community – rather than isolated at home, dealing with your situation alone – you may feel more connected to others.

Practice mindfulness.

Learning to observe how you’re feeling in the present moment, without judging your emotions, may help you feel calmer and in control of your health. When you practice mindfulness, pay attention to your thoughts, but don’t dwell on them. Recognize each emotion, acknowledge the feeling and let it go. If you have a tendency to let negative thoughts linger for too long, mindfulness may help you stop ruminating.

5. Talk about your feelings

Instead of keeping your feelings bottled up about how stressful it is to manage your condition or how fearful you may be about the future, open up to a trusted friend or relative. Talking to someone who cares may help you feel less alone, and bouncing your ideas off of someone who isn’t in your situation may help you figure out how to cope with different circumstances.

Sometimes, talking with a loved one isn’t enough. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, anxious or depressed, tell your doctor. Depression and anxiety are treatable with talk therapy and sometimes medication.

If you don’t have a friend or a health care provider whom you can confide in when things get tough, there are still ways for you to get help. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has a HelpLine (800-950-6264), which you can call between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Eastern time on weekdays. Peer-support volunteers can listen, offer support and provide you with information about mental health providers and support groups in your area.

Another option is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255), a nationwide network of more than 150 crisis centers. You can call this number 24 hours a day, 7 days a week if you or a loved one are in distress or suicidal and need confidential support. You’ll be connected to a local crisis center for help.

Other mental health hotlines are available, providing you with a number of options to reach out to someone who can listen and help if you feel that you’re overwhelmed by depression or burnout. You are not alone.