Living with chronic illness or pain
Many of us will experience some form of physical illness in our lives. Living with illness can sometimes have a serious impact on our emotional and mental wellbeing.
If you, or a loved-one, is living with chronic illness, pain or a health condition, it could be difficult to adjust to your ‘new reality’.
During COVID, many people with underlying health problems were advised to remain at home or make major adjustments to their usual lives. For some, this added human burden of social isolation on top of their existing health issues has proven exceptionally challenging, and still has an impact today.
Click here to start a conversation about how counselling and psychotherapy at Pathways Brighton & Hove can help in times of illness or pain
If you’re living with a chronic health condition, pain or illness, you're not alone if you feel:
Anxious
Sad
Out of control
Helpless
loss of motivation
Exhausted
Hopeless
poor concentration
fuzzy-headed
angry
Depressed
suicidal thoughts
A space just for you
Many people living with chronic illness or pain can find it a very isolating and frustrating experience.
It can really help to talk to a professional who can offer you moral and psychological support without the unintentional pressure that emotional ties to friends and loved-ones can, on occasion, also bring.
Counselling and psychotherapy provide you with a space which is entirely yours to make use of as you need.
In the room you can talk freely about your condition or pain levels and how it might be affecting the practicalities of life as well as anything else you wish to explore about your thoughts, feelings, hopes and challenges.
If you are struggling with any additional problems such as anxiety or depression, then a therapist can also help you to address these.
Click here for more information on anxiety and here for more information on depression.
10 ways to help manage the mental and emotional impact of chronic illness
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Speaking regularly to your friends and loved-ones
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Avoiding unnecessary stresses and strains
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Finding something new you enjoy doing or have always wanted to try
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Regularly engaging in nurturing self-care activities such as a warm bubble bath, manicure, hot towel shave, or massage
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Listening to a podcast, audio book, favourite album, or creating a new playlist
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Learning something new, such as taking a short course online or via distance learning
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Joining a forum or group discussion for a cause you really care about
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Listening to a relaxation or meditation playlist or CD, either in the morning,
before bed, or both -
Looking after yourself at every possible opportunity
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Talking to others about how you feel
Talking to a counsellor or therapist can help
Talking to a counsellor can be a valuable form of additional support in helping you manage your condition.
This may be through learning relaxation techniques or psychological methods to help you better manage pain or fatigue, or to directly support you with your emotional wellbeing.
Perhaps you're contemplating new limits on what you can do, where you can go, or what lies ahead of you.
Maybe you're feeling worried about the future or perhaps you're concerned about someone else.
Your mental health and your ability to cope with adversity is something which always has the opportunity to be positively addressed, regardless of your physical health.
If you're looking for counselling or psychotherapy in Brighton & Hove or online get in touch here for a free brief telephone consultation
to discuss your current situation and how I may be able to help.
Alternatively you can fill in the form below
and I will get back to you shortly.
GET IN TOUCH
If you'd like any further information on Pathways Psychotherapy and Counselling in Brighton & Hove or if you'd like
to arrange a telephone consultation or book an appointment please get in touch by using this form or call me directly on 07590 506567