How to Stay Positive With a Chronic Illness

Having sickle cell disease or other chronic conditions means having to overcome many hurdles. For example, receiving bad news about our health can cause us to be sad. While it’s impossible to be positive all of the time, we still must do what we can to have a positive outlook on our lives and our health.

If we don’t make an effort to change the way we think about our situations, it can take a toll on our mental well-being.

Following are some tips that may help:

Find the lessons in the pain

I strongly believe that every experience we face in life can teach us something. Whether we learn something about ourselves, such as our health limits, or something about the world, such as things that trigger a crisis, I believe that we can always find something to learn. So, when we are in difficult situations, instead of dwelling on the bad outcomes, let’s try to focus on the positive ones.

Put yourself first

Don’t compromise your health for anything or anyone. Take pride and joy in looking after your body. If you have to give up something, or take on something new in the name of maintaining good health, do so with a smile, and know that ultimately you did what is best for you.

Believe in yourself

It is important to believe that our potential is unlimited — because it is! I recently listened to a motivational video that reminded me of this fact. Sometimes the hardest thing about achieving our goals is believing that we can do so in the first place. As someone with a chronic illness, I have often allowed my health to get in the way of something I want to achieve. Now, whenever I have an ambitious goal, I give it my best effort while accommodating my health needs.

When you have a goal in mind, do not automatically dismiss yourself because of your health. Instead, find ways to achieve these goals while accommodating your health.

Remember that you’re not alone

You aren’t the only person going through what you are going through. So many people around the world are in similar situations and are willing to give support. You can meet people in real life and online who will share their experiences, along with tips about how they manage life with their respective conditions. A simple Google search can connect you with thousands of forums and pages dedicated to meeting other people like you to help you get through the hard times. Having a support group makes a world of difference!

What are some of the things you do to stay positive? Please share in the comments below. 

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Note: Sickle Cell Disease News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Sickle Cell Disease News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to sickle cell disease.