Coping with chronic illness.

1. COPING WITH CHRONIC
ILLNESS
Gabriela Cherascu M.D.
Adult and Geriatric Psychiatrist
Medical Director Mental Health Unit
Mercy Hospital, Iowa City, IA

2. CHRONIC ILLNESS:
 What is it?
 To accept it or deny it?
ACCEPTANCE is essential.
Acceptance does not mean resignation.

3. ATTITUDE:
 Attitude is a little thing that makes a big
difference. ~Winston Churchill
 If you don't like something change it; if you can't
change it, change the way you think about
it. ~Mary Engelbreit
 To be upset over what you don't have is to waste

4. MORE ON ATTITUDE:
 “I can't change the direction of the wind, but I
can adjust my sails to always reach my
destination.”, Jimmy Dean
 “I am convinced that life is 10% what happens
to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is
with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.”
, Charles R. Swindoll

5. WHAT CAN HELP?
 Find ways to feel more in control (learn, plan)
 Take control ( be active participant in your
treatment plan)
 Problem solve
 Communicate with other people
 Build a support network ( friends, support group)
 Ask for help

6. LEARN ABOUT YOUR ILLNESS:
 Learn as much as you can about your illness
(read books, articles, blogs, go to support groups)
 Work with your providers, ask questions
 Learn your warning signs of illness
 Learn what works for you
 Learn how to take your treatment
 Help your partner/family learn about your illness
 Keep track of your symptoms and treatments

7. PLAN AND FOLLOW YOUR PLAN.
- keep your appointments
- take your treatment as prescribed
- attend support group

8. SUPPORT GROUP:
 Join a support group - it will allow you to share
your experience and learn from others.
 The people who have the same problem
understand best what you are going through.

9. CROHN & COLITIS FOUNDATION
OF AMERICA (CCFA):
 Good resource
 Support
 In many languages
 Special part for kids and teens (camp)

10. My IBD (myibd.org) – The Foundation for
Clinical Research in Inflamatory Bowel
Disease

11. GASTROKIDS web site

12. STRESS:
 Stress does not cause IBD, but can
worsen it

13. STRESS REDUCTION:
 Exercise
 Relaxation techniques – different types
 Meditation – live in the present
 Develop and use other coping skills (humor,
music, prayer, journaling, breathing techniques,
yoga, etc.)
 Volunteer
 Socialize
 Faith and spirituality

15. SMALL ADVICE:
 Know where the restrooms are, situate yourself
close to them
 Have extra garments on hand
 Car kit with toilet paper and a change of clothes
 Medical Alert Restroom Access Pass (My IBD
web site)
 Bring the list of symptoms, of questions and the
medications you take to your appointments

16. DO I HAVE DEPRESSION?
 1/3 of people with chronic illness have depression
 Symptoms of depression:
- feeling sad/”blue”/”down in the dumps”
- poor sleep or oversleeping
- decreased concentration
- low energy
- decreased or increased appetite
- guilt
- thoughts of suicide
- hopelessness
- crying spells out of the blue

17. TREATMENT OF DEPRESSION:
 Improves overall medical condition
 Increases quality of life
 Increases adherence to the treatment plan of the
chronic illness
 Options of treatment: medication and/or
psychotherapy (individual and group
counseling), exercise, meditation

18. DO I HAVE ANXIETY?
 Many people with chronic illness have anxiety
 Symptoms of anxiety:
- excessive fear/worry, feeling keyed up or on
edge, easily fatigued, mind going blank, irritability,
muscle tension disturbed sleep
- attacks of panic with palpitations, sweating,
shaking, shortness of breath, chest discomfort,
lightheadedness, numbness

19. TREATMENT OF ANXIETY:
 Improves overall medical condition
 Increases quality of life
 Increases adherence to the treatment plan of the
chronic illness
 Options of treatment: medication and/or
psychotherapy, deep breathing, relaxation,
meditation, exercise

20. SMOKING:
 DON’T SMOKE, WILL MAKE YOUR CROHN’S
DISEASE WORSE – best recognized risk factor

21. SMOKING:
 HOW TO QUIT:
- decide if you want to quit smoking or not
- it can be hard to quit smoking, but it is
doable (the more you try, the more chances you
have to succeed)
- find a motivation
- tell somebody and reward yourself
- consider tapering
- nicotine replacement
- should you use medication?

22. FOR KIDS:
 Ask questions
 Talk with your parents and doctors
 Don’t give in to peer pressure to drink ( interacts
with your medication), smoke ( worsens your
illness), or do drugs
 Educate your peers ( most are ignorant or lack
knowledge about your illness)

23. FOR PARENTS:
 Your attitude counts a lot.
 Help your children understand what happens and
how they can best help themselves (empower
them).

24. BOOKS:
 Coping with Crohn’s Disease, by Amy Trachter
and Henry Wodnicki
 Check Your Pride at the Door: Learning to Live
with IBD, by Darryl Helems
 IBD: A Guide to Patients and Their Families, by
Stanley H. Stein and Richard P. Rood

25. MORE BOOKS:
 Don’t Die of Embarrassment; Life after Colostomy
and Other Adventures by Barbara Barrie
 It Takes More Than Guts: Life Changing
Discoveries About Surviving and Overcoming IBD
and Chronic Illness, by Phillip Van Hooser

26. ARTICLE:
 Coping with Chronic Illness – Clinical Center NIH

28. THANK YOU!