Homepage > Health > Coping with Illness

There are many common chronic illnesses such as asthma, skin conditions (eczema), diabetes and epilepsy. Physical disabilities such as stiffness of limbs, paralysis, are not that uncommon either.

Staying healthy, or coping with health problems often means accepting and understanding the illness, dealing with feelings about being ill (like irritation, anger, depression, anxiety) and taking control of the illness as much as possible, by taking medicine, and changing lifestyle.

People who take control of their medical conditions frequently have better outcomes in terms of mental and physical health than those who are buffeted between GP surgery and hospital with little understanding of what is going on. Don't let thinking about your illness take over your life, but arm yourself with as much information as possible.

Self-help groups can be very helpful in providing you with people to talk to who know just how you are feeling. They can also help you keep up to date with the latest research.

Many people living with illnesses find that it helps to line up sources of support to deal with the stress and emotions. Some people choose to talk to a therapist or join a support group specifically for people with their condition. It's also important to confide in those you trust, like close friends and family members. The most important factor when seeking help isn't necessarily finding someone who knows a lot about your illness, but finding someone who is willing to listen when you're depressed, angry, frustrated.

Noticing the emotions you have, accepting them as a natural part of what you're going through, and expressing or sharing your emotions in a way that feels comfortable can help you feel better about things

Are you a young carer? Young carers are young people who have someone in their family with a long term illness, a disability or problems with drink and drugs. This could be your mum, dad, brother, sister or a grandparent. Find our more under our being a young carer article.

Caring for someone when you are young can make things difficult to cope with at school  and you probably feel you are missing out on having fun with others.

Whether you are a young carer or ill yourself you might want to just talk to someone. You can call one of our Personal Advisers at your local Connexions Centre, talk to Connexions Direct on 080 800 13 2 19 or visit some of the websites listed below.

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