Coping with Illness – How Can You Help Yourself?

by Sarar Maalouf

When we talk about coping with illness, health and well-being, most people think of physical health and medical treatments. As important as these are, we tend to ignore the fact that health and well-being cannot be achieved without attention to psycho-emotional wellness. And due to our fear and lack of information, we tend to ignore alternative means of treatment.

The scientific arena and its discoveries are amazing. But, in our eagerness for magic pills and speedy solutions incurring the least effort on our part, we forget about nature and the natural, about balance and about our own strengths for coping.

My interest is in each of us taking charge of our life and actively and efficiently participating in our medical treatments.

So, in every article to follow, I will be emphasizing one or more strategies for taking care of yourself, at the psychological level. There are no magic solutions. All strategies need commitment and persistence. Positive results come from hard work. Think of a time when you invited friends you like to a dinner. You worked hard at preparing, involving your body, mind, and emotions. But then you enjoyed the gathering and the appreciation of your guests.  Had you not put in the effort, you would have spent the evening feeling uneasy.

You may say: “HARD work?” Don’t I already have enough on my plate? It is your choice to succumb to illness and misery or to commit to living up to your potential irrespective of any illness.

For a preview of what is to come, please consider the following questions:

Am I self-aware? Do I know my own potential? Do I know what motivates and drives me?

Do I have a choice in how to run my life during my illness? Do I want to, or do I want to surrender to others?

Do I want to feel miserable all the time?

Do I want to make life a living hell for me and for the people I love?

Do I want people to feel pity for me, or be in awe of my strength despite my weakness?

How do I go about organizing my life when I don’t even have the energy to eat?

How do I cope with peoples’ looks, opinions and judgements?

How do I get my loved ones to empathize and cooperate?

How do I find helpful resources?

Also, please consider whether:

Your response to diagnosis and treatment is passive or proactive.

Your thoughts are helping you cope or putting you down.

You have withdrawn from family and friends or are reaching out to them.

You are putting up a strong facade while you are broken on the inside.

So, LET US TALK.

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