Living with Chronic Illness
Chronic Illness At a Glance
A chronic illness, also known as chronic diseases, are conditions that last one or more years and require ongoing treatment. In the United States six in ten adults have a chronic illness, and 4 in ten adults have 2 or more (CDC 2019). That means that there are approximately 196,920,000 Americans living with a chronic illness. Many of these illnesses are preventable and can be mitigated through lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, exercising, and reducing alcohol consumption (CDC 2019). Others require a slew of treatments to try to find the right cocktail of medications to ease symptoms. Regardless, living with a chronic illness is no walk in the park.
Emotional Cost of Chronic Illness
Living with chronic illness can take an emotional toll on individuals, their friends, and families. It can be difficult for the individual to perform everyday tasks and chores; leaving family members to be burdened with extra work. Friends may be put on the back burner with missed birthdays and brunches. If you love someone with a chronic illness the best thing you can do for them is to lend them your ear, a shoulder to cry on, and maybe offer to do some vacuuming or cooking. If you have a chronic illness remember that saying, “I’m fine” is not helping anyone especially not you. Your friends and family love you and want you to be happy. Find someone that you can vent your frustrations and fears to. If you do not have someone immediately in your life to listen to you, consider finding a therapist or mental health professional in your area. There are also lots of mental health resources available online and you can access them from the comfort of your home.
Financial Cost of Chronic Illness
Whether you are from a country with universal healthcare or not there is always a financial cost with chronic illnesses. In the United States people with chronic illnesses and mental health conditions spend $3.15 trillion on healthcare (CDC 2020). The cost of doctors, medications, procedures, premiums, and co-pays are a burden in excess to the work and wages lost, and emotional and physical pain of chronic illnesses. It’s no wonder that in the US 66.5% of bankruptcies are related to medical issues (Konish 2019). While the burden is somewhat lessened in countries with universal healthcare, not all financial burdens are eliminated. There is still productivity loss from missed workdays. Even if a person is able to attend work, they may still be less productive due to pain, increased stress, and other symptoms such as fatigue and mental fog. Chronic illnesses are an economic drain on anyone, no matter where they live or how much money they make.
You must not despair even though things may seem stacked against you right now. The journey is long and hard but you will be stronger because of it. Take lots of naps and be gentle (physically and emotionally) with yourself. I hope Chronically Chic is able to provide you with resources and hope to be able to live your life with chronic illness in a beautifully practical way. Subscribe to our email list if you would like to stay connected. If you have any incites into living with a chronic illness leave a comment. We would love to hear from you!
Citations
1. CDC (2019). About chronic diseases. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/index.htm
2. CDC (2020). Health and Economic Costs of Chronic Diseases. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/costs/index.htm#ref3
3. Konish, L. (2019). This is the real reason most Americans file bankruptcy. CNBC. Retrieved from: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/11/this-is-the-real-reason-most-americans-file-for-bankruptcy.html
