3 Tips for Coping with a New Chronic Health Issue
I knew it wasn’t a good sign the night I saw flashing lights in one eye. It was a cold March evening right at the start of the pandemic, and all of a sudden I saw a flurry of light flashes. My vision was fine so I wasn’t overly concerned, but I kept seeing hundreds of light flashes as the night went on. Cautiously optimistic that it might be simple eye strain, I decided to go to bed and see how it was in the morning. In the morning, however, the light flashes were still there. I had no idea what was happening, and I was afraid to consult Dr. Google. Luckily I was able to make an emergency appointment with my ophthalmologist who fit me in right away. Turned out I had an unusual but benign condition called a “posterior vitreous detachment” spontaneously occur in my eye. In the coming weeks and months, I struggled to cope with this condition, in part because it arose completely out of the blue, so I was unprepared to deal with the stressful and bothersome daily symptoms. Below are three tips that are helpful for coping with a new and unexpected chronic health issue.
- Seek Out Support
The first thing I did as soon as I left my ophthalmologist’s office was to figure out where I could find support. I didn’t know anyone with this condition, so I turned to the Internet and was pleased to find that there were several online support groups and forums I could join that focused specifically on this condition. When you have a chronic health condition, connecting with others going through the exact same thing and dealing with the same symptoms can be a source of comfort. Finding others going through the same experiences can also help you to not feel so alone, when everything seems stressful and scary. When you join a support group, you are able to ask questions, give and get advice and recommendations, and feel supported during a difficult time. Later, when I had more experience with the condition, I was able to provide recommendations and advice to others who were recently diagnosed.
2. Find a therapist
When you’re newly diagnosed with a chronic health condition and find that you need more support that your spouse/partner or friends can provide, consider finding a therapist. A therapist can be a source of support and an avenue to vent and process your feelings. A therapist can also help you process your grief about your new condition, so that you are able to move forward and develop healthy coping strategies. You can find a therapist who specializes in chronic illness by going to the Psychology Today Find a Therapist database and entering in information like zip code, insurance, and other preferences including practice areas. Knowing that you have a weekly therapy appointment where the focus is just on you can be a great source of comfort for many people struggling to cope with chronic illness.
3. Find effective coping strategies
When I was first diagnosed and really struggling, I knew that I needed to come up with some new coping strategies. My usual coping strategies were not working well because my anxiety was through the roof. I decided I needed to try some new methods to cope. I tried adult coloring (very therapeutic), art, and daily walks in nature, and found all of these to be quite helpful. These strategies worked well to take my mind off my condition. While I was on my daily nature walks I made it a point to not think about my eye condition for the entire hour. Instead, I focused on the nature all around me and came back from my walk feeling refreshed and able to cope with the day’s challenges better.
Final Thoughts
Being diagnosed with a new chronic health issue is scary and stressful. But there are several helpful strategies you can put into place to improve your ability to cope. As the days and weeks go on, with healthy coping strategies in place and a strong support network, you will be able to more effectively cope with your new health diagnosis and regain your previous quality of life.
