She goes on to say, "Some of the most successful self-managers are people who think of their illness as a path. This path, like any other, goes up and down....To negotiate this path, one has to use many strategies." Remember, Lorig is talking about illnesses like arthritis, asthma, HIV and multiple sclerosis-not depression or bipolar disorder.
Lorig highlights three skills people with chronic illnesses must have in order to negotiate the path:
- Skills to deal with the illnesses (like how to communicate with your doctor, remembering to take medications, figuring out how to navigate the health care billing system)
- Skills to continue your normal life (how to manage a job, how to interact with family, how to make and keep friends)
- Skills to deal with emotions (the grief and anger of having to live with the illnesses, the desire for isolation, the frustration of obstacles that appear because of the illness)
Does this ring any bells for you? It does for me. When I reframe my illness as having a lot in common with other chronic illnesses that seem to be less stigmatized (from my perspective), I somehow feel better. I also like the notion that the mental health consumer community shares the perspective of working our wellness-by paying attention to diet, exercise, stress management and other techniques-with those who live with many other chronic illnesses.
For more about working toward wellness, check out our brochure, Healthy Lifestyles. And for more on Lorig's Chronic Disease Self-Management Program check out this website.
Had you considered before how much you have in common with people who have cancer, heart disease and MS? Have you done any cross-illness support with others who live with chronic conditions? I would love to hear about it.
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