Living with Chronic Illness: What Women Should Know & How Therapy Can Help

Living with a chronic illness is challenging due to the symptoms, treatment requirements, and medication management often involved, but many women may find that those are just a few small pieces of a greater issue that feels like a storm cloud hovering over their lives. 

As if navigating the healthcare system and living with unpleasant and persistent symptoms weren't difficult enough, women with chronic illnesses often feel extremely isolated in their struggles even when they have supportive friends, family, and care providers in their corner. With many chronic illnesses being largely invisible to others, those living with them may feel like no one really sees what they’re dealing with day-to-day, or worse, that they aren’t believed about how much they’re suffering.

Additionally, many women report feeling like a burden to their partners, family and friends for needing so much support, and the impact on finances and their ability to work is often cited as a source of this distress. Others may feel like a broken record, constantly giving the same response about how they’re doing since their symptoms are persistent and unchanging. 

Any one of these struggles would be enough to feel debilitating to someone, but many women living with chronic illness experience a constellation of these concerns in addition to the rest of the stresses of daily life. It’s no wonder then that many chronic illness sufferers are also living with severe depression and anxiety, feeling as though they are alone in managing the many challenges of their lives. 

The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. If you find yourself struggling with the cascading impacts of a chronic illness, you don’t have to go it alone. Therapy for chronic illness and chronic illness support groups can help lessen the burden you’re carrying.

In this article, we’ll delve into the multifaceted struggles of living with chronic illness, explore the connection between chronic conditions and mental health, discuss ways to reconnect with your body, and the importance of finding support.

What is Chronic Illness?

According to BetterHealth, a chronic illness is a long-term health condition characterized by complex causes, many risk factors, and functional impairments or disabilities. Common chronic illnesses include but aren’t limited to:

• Cancer

• Diabetes

• Heart & lung diseases

• Autoimmune conditions

• Depression

• HIV/AIDS

• Stroke

• Asthma

• Arthritis

• Long COVID

Chronic illnesses can have significant impacts on people’s lives because many of them cause physical limitations, negatively impact mental health, and contribute to persistent pain. Although many chronic illnesses can be managed through medical treatment and lifestyle changes, those suffering with these conditions continue to live with many of their effects long term.

Common Struggles with Chronic Illness

It can’t be denied that living with chronic illness comes with many unique struggles, and you may feel alone in making sense of everything you’re dealing with. From day-to-day pain and fatigue to financial burdens to the effects on personal relationships, living with chronic illness truly impacts every aspect of one’s life. Here are just some of the various dimensions of the these challenges:

• Physical: One of the most common struggles that those with chronic illness face is persistent pain and fatigue. Living with these daily symptoms can make being in our physical bodies feel totally overwhelming and lead to feelings of hopelessness and disappointment.

  
  

• Financial: The burden of doctors visits, medical tests, medications, time away from work, and in some cases, lengthy travel to see medical specialists outside of your local area add up. Not only does medical management of a chronic illness take up lots of time, it can be extremely costly. The financial struggles of living with chronic illness can further intensify the emotional load someone is carrying and add to the overwhelm.

  
  

• Emotional: Each of the challenges previously mentioned has obvious impacts on the emotional well-being of the person living with chronic illness, so it probably comes as no surprise that these conditions often feel like they impact not only our physical bodies but also mind and spirit.

  
  

• Social: Something that isn’t discussed nearly enough is what a huge impact chronic illness has on our social lives. Those living with chronic illness know all too well what a massive impact their diagnoses have on their social lives, but others in their life might not fully get it. From needing to miss special occasions to feeling totally burnt out and unable to connect with those you love in the ways you want to, chronic illness takes its toll on women’s social lives in many compounding ways. 

The Link Between Chronic Illness and Mental Health

While there are many struggles associated with having a chronic illness, one of the most painful parts is often invisible to others: mental health challenges caused by the emotional toll of these conditions. Many women living with chronic illness are often facing mental health concerns such as anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, severe stress and depression. While chronic illness can impact mental health in many ways, Psychiatrist.com reports that major depressive disorder is 2-3 times more prevalent for those with chronic illnesses. 

And according to the National Institute of Mental Health, people with chronic illnesses are at a much greater risk of depression compared to those without these conditions. The link between chronic illness and depression may be due to increased anxiety and worry related to symptoms, prognosis and other issues caused by having the illness. Additionally, medication side effects and family history play a role in this heightened risk for depression. Your depression may even be a symptom of your chronic illness, and this is especially true with many autoimmune conditions such as Celiac disease, multiple sclerosis and  endometriosis. 

Additionally, research including this study from the National Center for Biotechnology Information, shows that anxiety, and especially medical anxiety, is disproportionately higher for those living with chronic illness: 

In the context of chronic illness, there is evidence that moderate to high levels of [health anxiety] are highly prevalent. For example, a systematic review suggested a prevalence of 49% for moderate to high fear of cancer recurrence among cancer survivors, where cancer is considered to be a chronic illness.

Whether you’re dealing with depression, anxiety, or other mental health concerns, these struggles on top of those you’re already facing related to chronic illness can feel difficult to overcome, and unmanaged mental health symptoms may be causing a negative feedback loop with your chronic illness. It’s important to examine how your mental health may be connected to your chronic illness concerns and seek support to manage your symptoms.

Reestablishing a Strong Mind + Body Connection

We can’t talk about how chronic illness influences mental health without dropping down a deeper level to explore how living with these conditions often leads to a disconnect between mind and body.

Having a chronic illness may make it feel like you’re at odds with your body, and when it feels like the body is the enemy and root cause of suffering, it’s no wonder that many women with chronic illness find themselves wanting to escape and disassociate from the pain, both physically and mentally.

This disassociation only provides temporary relief though, and it’s important to reestablish a strong mind + body connection in order to cultivate the resilience necessary to live with chronic illness. Our bodies are wise and intuitive, and by exploring techniques such as self compassion and distress tolerance, we can slowly find our ways back to our bodies and to ourselves so that we feel more whole and connected with our own wisdom about what we need in order to not only survive but to thrive. Other tools that can be supportive for managing the emotional overwhelm of chronic illness include progressive muscle relaxation techniques, guided meditation, and other tools for cultivating somatic embodiment.

How Therapy & Support Groups Can Help

Considering these different tools and techniques for finding resilience in the face of chronic illness may still feel like too much to confront alone, and the good news is that you don’t have to. Support is available so that you don’t have to manage your mental health on your own while also facing medical challenges.

With the help of a therapist, you can tap into therapeutic techniques geared toward self compassion, distress tolerance and somatic embodiment to help alleviate and manage your mental health symptoms. Additionally, because living with chronic illness can be so isolating, it often helps to open up about your struggles in a supportive group setting. For that reason, a chronic illness support group may be a helpful avenue for exploring how your illness is impacting you and to cultivate community and belonging so that you don’t have to face your struggles alone. 

Individual Therapy Support

If you’re in need of support as you navigate the challenges of living with a chronic illness, therapy is a great place to get started. Counseling services, like those we provide at Her Time Therapy, PLLC, offer the support needed to confront how your chronic illness is overshadowing your life so that you can reclaim your access to joy and peace. 

Our therapists can support you as you explore the potentially massive toll that chronic illness is taking on your life and walk alongside you as you allow yourself to grieve what you may have lost or fear losing due to your illness. We’re also here to celebrate your wins along the way, no matter how big or small they may seem. Your wellbeing and resilience are our top priority, and we believe in your ability to confront the fear and discomfort you’re faced with. 

If you’re ready to embark on the journey of coming back home to yourself and to your body in spite of how scary that may feel, we can match you with a therapist who can provide practical strategies for managing your mental health concerns in order to cultivate more resilience for living with chronic illness. 

Chronic Illness Support Group

You may also be interested in joining our upcoming Chronic Illness Support Group which is tailored for the needs of women living with chronic illness and in search of therapeutic support and connection with other women facing similar struggles. Much like individual counseling services, support groups are often covered by insurance, and we can help you navigate whether your insurance may be able to cover the cost of this group.

Are You Ready for the Support You Deserve?

Her Time Therapy, PLLC, is an integrative group counseling practice comprised of licensed

therapists in Colorado who specialize in providing convenient and empowering online therapy for women. You can feel confident working with a Her Time therapist because we are women who get it—we recognize that women like you experience a unique set of biological, environmental, economic, and social challenges that have a real impact on your mental health and are deserving of specialized support.

Call/Text (720) 255-1667 | info@hertimetherapy.com | www.hertimetherapy.com

About the Author

Lesley Fulton (she/her), is a Clinical Mental Health Graduate Student Intern offering affordable counseling services to Her Time Therapy Clients under the supervision of Julie Noyes, MA LPC NCC and Adams State University professors. Lesley is passionate about helping clients with trauma, LGBTQIA+ identity, attachment issues, codependence, chronic illness, and disordered eating/body image.

*Disclaimer: This blog does not provide medical advice and the information contained herein is for informational purposes only. This blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a licensed health provider before undertaking a new treatment or health care regimen. 

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