From the moment you become chronically ill, all of the focus is on ‘getting better’ but what does that mean?
And more importantly, how do you know how much recovery is actually going to be possible for you?
The most common expectation is that ‘getting better’ means getting back to normal, they way you were before.
But getting back to normal and exactly the way you were before may not always be a realistic or achievable goal and even if it is, where do you start?
Even figuring out what your options are seems to depend on who you talk to and what they believe can be done to help you and the answers can range from nothing at all to the most complex protocols you can begin to imagine.
In my experience, dealing with the emotions first is the most important step because the impacts of becoming chronically ill are life changing and affect every part of your life.
Dealing with loss of ability and capacity, brain fog, chronic pain and feeling stuck in a body that is now unpredictable and unreliable, brings with it lots of fear, grief, guilt and denial and the intensity of these emotions can feel completely overwhelming.
To start moving forward, we need to find a way to face all of those big feelings of grief and loss without the fear of drowning in them and come out the other side ready to start defining what ‘getting better’ means for you.
In this podcast, I share my experiences and tips for where to start, common issues that can keep you stuck in two different forms of denial and how you can reframe ‘getting better’ in a more realistic and practical way that doesn’t set you up to fail.
Let’s help educate and spread the word of the practical realities and emotional issues that becoming chronically ill bring from those who know it best.
It is only by sharing our stories and experiences that we can help someone else know that they are not alone when it comes to chronic illness.
You can listen to the podcast here on the blog or search and subscribe to The Emotional Autoimmunity Podcast on your favorite podcast player. If you enjoyed this episode I would so appreciate it if you would leave a positive review on your favorite podcast player.
