If you suffer from chronic pain or illness, you’ve probably developed a close relationship with your doctor (or even a team of specialists). Seeking out the help of a medical doctor should always be your first line of defense when it comes to treatment.
As you go through medical treatment for your illness, your doctor might suggest therapy or counseling. It’s important to keep in mind that this isn’t a way to negate your illness. This does not mean that your doctor isn’t taking your symptoms or treatment seriously.
Instead, they’re recognizing that a long-term illness can cause a lot of mental despair in addition to the more obvious physical symptoms and pain. If you’re going through something that might last months, years, or even the rest of your life, there are bound to be mental and emotional struggles to work through.
Many patients with chronic illness develop psychological symptoms. So, if your doctor suggests therapy, it’s a good idea to view it as another part of your treatment or wellness plan.
There are a number of styles of counseling that can be very helpful. Among the most common are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness.
Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a solid therapeutic option for patients who are chronically ill. CBT takes a look at your moods, behaviors, and reactions. Why is this important for someone with chronic pain or illness?
Consider this: If you’ve been diagnosed with a serious illness, you might ask yourself what the point is in even trying to get better. You might wonder if any of your medical treatment is worth it. Those questions can lead you to feelings of hopelessness, and you might end up experiencing depression.
Therapy, especially CBT, helps with mood disorders and feelings of fatigue from depression. It also helps you to develop a self-management plan. This requires active participation and possible “homework.” But, it can help you to gain more control over the psychological symptoms that might come up as a result of your physical ailments.
Mindfulness and Healing
Be sure to talk to your doctor about varied types of therapy and counseling. Another great option for patients suffering from a chronic illness is learning how to be more mindful.
Practicing mindfulness will keep you in the present moment. Again, when you have an illness or you’re in a lot of pain, it’s easy to think about the future and feel overwhelmed or hopeless. Mindfulness allows you to focus on the present now. You’ll work on paying attention to your breathing, how you feel at any given moment, and what’s going on around you.
Thankfully, you can practice mindfulness on your own time, as often as you wish. It can be a difficult process for some people at first since it requires you to pause and focus. But, getting help from a professional can make a big difference in how effective it is.
Can Therapy Really Help My Chronic Illness?
If your doctor has suggested therapy to you, it’s not because they think your illness is “all in your head.” In fact, they likely want your illness to be treated in a way that minimizes the development of complications – both physically and emotionally.
Medical doctors see thousands of patients with different illnesses. They understand how a long-term disease or ailment can affect someone’s mental health. Therapy can offset some of those negative effects. It can reduce feelings of anxiety and depression, and develop strategies to manage any loneliness or grief you may have.
The more positive you’re able to remain, the more motivated you’ll be to go through treatment for your illness.
