10 months ago I was diagnosed with a chronic illness, and I was completely lost. The life I had grown to love melted away before my eyes, and I was left with a puddle of who I once was. I have since rebuilt my identity, but it took hard work to be happy again. Here are the 5 tips I wish I had received when first diagnosed with my illness:
1) Try joining online support groups
I have found online support groups to be beyond amazing for my chronic illnesses. These are people who are positive, knowledgeable, and supportive beyond words. If you stumble across a good group you can find life long friends and a safe place to talk about your illness. If the first support group does not work out, please do not give up, it is worth fighting to find supportive people going through the same thing as you.
2) Reach out for help when you need it
You probably will not want to do this. More than likely you would rather suck it up than admit that you need help, but sometimes you will need help. Whether it is emotional or physical support, finding out that you will be sick for the rest of your life is taxing and it is important to hold on to your friends and family at this hard time in your life.
3) Research your condition, but try to avoid over researching
This is one of the hardest things to find a balance on. You want to be knowledgeable about your illness and to know what you are in for, but you also do not want to dwell on it too much. Sure, there are always bad things that can happen, but until they happen try to avoid thinking about them. Rather, learn what you can do to help or hurt your condition, build a team of doctors, and find the support that you need.
4) Find new hobbies
A lot of times when you are diagnosed with a chronic illness you lose hobbies or physical activity, so this can be a hard one. I know that I lost my sport, and now I may be losing my instrument. Losing the things you love is taxing and you may need to grieve over the loss, but there are always new things out there. I have learned to be a part of best buddies, interact, sign language, politics, and I coach 3rd-grade cheerleading. These are all activities that I can do without causing harm to my joints and enjoy. I encourage anyone recently diagnosed to go out and find new hobbies. Find the activities that can take your mind off of all the sorrow you will feel with your diagnosis.
5) Hold on to your old self, but understand that it is okay to let go
You will lose part of yourself when you are diagnosed. Some hobbies, friends and family members will unfortunately, be lost in the shuffle, and you will feel helpless for a while. It is good to try to hold onto the amazing parts of your past self, but understand that it is okay to let go of your old identity. It may be hard, it may take years, but it is possible to move past your illness and see the beauty of being sick.
I am sorry if any of you reading this were just diagnosed. It is a long road from diagnosis to happiness, but I swear that you will make it, and there will be people to help you every step of the way. Build a support system, find what makes you happy, and learn to live with your illness to the best of your ability.
