Chronic Illness: The impact on our quality of life

Chronic illness symptoms impact four primary quality of life domains which all play a role in our overall health and wellness:

Physical, Social, Emotional, and Functional. 

Physical:

The most obvious and directly effected domain is the impact that chronic illness has on our physical health.

All manner of disruptions can occur from developed symptoms or side effects from medication and treatment:

• Chemotherapy treatment in cancer patients can cause nausea, fatigue, and pain

• Fibromyalgia can cause constant, widespread pain throughout the body

• Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis can cause fatigue, muscle weakness, and interfere with insulin and blood sugar functioning

  These can create a direct impact to physical capabilities and can greatly limit activities associated with active lifestyles, or even generate constant pain and discomfort. Physical disruptions impact our autonomy, mobility, sleep, and health. 

Social:

Relationships play a vital role in health. Supportive relationships and access to positive social supports are imperative for promoting positive health, while unhealthy relationships and lack of support can produce stress. An unfortunate experience for those living with chronic illness is a disruption in our social support system.

Several factors contribute to this disruption including:

• Feeling like or being a burden on others

• Inability or difficulty with performing household chores or tasks

• A decrease or complete inability to engage in social outings

Social integration can be challenging once a person experiences symptoms of chronic illness. Inability to stand for long period of time or low energy can be factors in prohibiting individuals from participating in social events or large gatherings. These can lead to isolation which perpetuates a negative cycle of loneliness and depression. Intimate relationships can also feel strained if the significant other assumes the role of the caretaker, creating dual roles within the relationship. 

Emotional:

Disruptions in emotions and overall mood are attributed in large part to the a person’s perceptions of the implications that our illness places on our lives and on those around us. Optimism and a high quality of life go hand in hand. In a negative cycle, a disruption of self confidence is affected by the illness. Which then impacts one’s own self competence. This then impacts a person’s emotional wellbeing leading to distress and depression and adding on more symptoms to an already symptomatic individual.

In reframing this into a positive cycle, having acceptance of the reality of limitations and symptoms helps chronically ill individuals gain a sense of control and increased autonomy.

This leads to more self confidence and engagement in realistic physical endeavors and social interactions.

Functional:

Work environments can cause strain and stress in healthy individuals, let alone exacerbating symptoms in those already experiencing illness.

Heavy workplace demands can add more stress on symptoms of:

• brain fog

• fatigue

• difficulty concentrating

• chronic pain

These symptoms can sometimes become so overwhelming that chronically ill individuals are forced to reduce hours or step away from work entirely. This adds strain not only to mental and emotional aspects, but financial as well. 

All areas of these domains have a profound impact on one’s identity.

Fortunately, there are ways to alter these negative loops into positive thought and behavioral patterns. Acceptance and Commitment therapy, for example, can help individuals move beyond negative thoughts and become more aligned with thoughts and behaviors that match your values. 

I’m Celeste, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in chronic illness. In my practice, I utilize Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients acknowledge and allow space for their struggles in order to move towards an improved quality of life.