{"id":3262,"date":"2020-03-12T04:01:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-12T09:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.creativesolutionsonline.org\/?p=3262"},"modified":"2020-10-17T13:53:12","modified_gmt":"2020-10-17T18:53:12","slug":"new-normal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.creativesolutionsonline.org\/rebuild-csbh-sit\/new-normal\/","title":{"rendered":"Chronic Illness – Finding Your “New Normal”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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When you\u2019re diagnosed with a chronic illness, almost every aspect of your life seems to be affected. Many adjustments must be made and it will take time to develop your sense of a \u201cnew normal.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That doesn\u2019t mean your quality of life has to be less than it was before, but it definitely will be different. This is not an easy shift to make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

A big part of developing a new normal is accepting that yes, you have an illness, but that it needn\u2019t keep you from living a fulfilled life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, how can you create your best life for yourself while coping with a chronic illness? Let\u2019s look at a few tips you can put in place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grieve<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Every new beginning requires something else to end. As you work to redefine your new normal, it absolutely means grieving what has changed. Whether this is a small change or a significant one, you deserve to honor your grief reaction. You may feel sad, angry, resentful, lonely, and a variety of reactions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your grief can get triggered each time you bump up against another part of your life that must be adjusted due to your illness or flare up. A part of you will likely keep remembering what it used to be like when you had more energy or less limitations. If you try to stuff these feelings and put on a brave face, you may make things harder for yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t Be Ashamed of Your Illness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many people with chronic illnesses try to play the blame game \u2013 with themselves. They feel as though they could have done more to prevent it, or they\u2019re not doing enough to fight it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first thing you need to do in order to adjust to your new life is to stop playing the blame game. Illnesses occur for a variety of reasons, and you didn\u2019t cause it. Blaming yourself or holding onto guilt will only cause you to be more stressed. When that happens, it can exacerbate some of your symptoms, making you feel even worse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If someone you love had the same illness you do, how would you treat them? Chances are, you would be patient and compassionate. So, make sure you\u2019re doing the same for yourself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You Are Not Your Illness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You might need to change some things about your life if you have a chronic illness. Maybe you aren\u2019t able to do everything you used to. Or, maybe you don\u2019t always feel as good as you want to feel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, it\u2019s important to separate your life from your illness. Your illness doesn\u2019t define the sum total of who you are. It\u2019s simply one part of you. By focusing on everything else in your life that hasn\u2019t changed, you are giving less power to the illness itself, which can make you feel stronger and more motivated to keep living life the way you want to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Manage Your Expectations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s nothing worse than getting your hopes up for something, only to be let down. In terms of having a chronic illness, that could mean trying a treatment that didn\u2019t work the way you expected. Or, wanting to do something that your illness limited.  Unexpected flare ups can mean having to adjust or cancel plans last minute that you had looked forward to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Managing your expectations is hugely important when you have a chronic illness. Setbacks will happen. You won\u2019t always achieve the things you may want. The best thing you can do is to let go of those old expectations entirely. You have different energy levels, stamina, finances, and priorities now. While you probably won’t be able to do everything just as you did before, if you can adjust your expectations to accurately reflect your present situation and resources, you will be less disappointed in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find a Support System<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps the best thing you can do to cope with a chronic illness is to surround yourself with people who support you. Family members and friends can help to lift you up when you\u2019re feeling overwhelmed about your illness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They can also help you to do things your illness might prevent you from doing, so your quality of life doesn\u2019t have to change so drastically. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connecting with a local support group will help you share struggles with others who are in a similar situation and learn how they cope. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re bound to have different moods throughout the phases of your illness as you try to develop your new \u201cnormal.\u201d It\u2019s okay to let people be there for you in order to support you throughout those phases. If you don\u2019t have family members or friends who are willing to do it, seeking out the help of a therapist or counselor can make a big difference. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact Me<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re dealing with a chronic illness and you\u2019re having a hard time developing a new sense of normalcy, feel free to reach out to me for help. We can talk more about how to get your life back, and how to cope with this new reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know how stressful and demanding it can be to make changes in your life, but you don\u2019t have to figure it out on your own.   Some of the benefits of individual therapy include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n