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If you’re living with a chronic illness, chances are you’re already quite adept at planning ahead. After all, managing your health in the face of a chronic sickness is practically a full-time job, one that requires strategy and diligence.
But the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown us all quite a curve ball in the last few months. And if those who are healthy are still struggling to adjust to this new normal, it can be all the more challenging when you’re trying to do it while managing an illness.
Keeping your condition under control and yourself sane and happy as you navigate our new pandemic reality is possible, though. It’s just going to take commitment, a bit of flexibility, and a lot of positivity.
Stay Calm
The first order of business is simply not to panic. It’s a scary time. Many of us are experiencing challenges that we’ve never faced before, from mass layoffs and job losses to school closures and rising infection rates.
With today’s 24/7 newscycle, it can feel like we’re caught in an endless loop of bad news. So try to limit your exposure to the news to one or, at the most, two updates per day. Get the information you need to know from a reliable source and then get on with your day.
Limiting your daily news consumption doesn’t mean you’re denying the situation or being selfish or foolhardy for not staying glued to your news feeds like your friends and family may be. It means that you are practicing self-care, including taking healthy steps to manage your stress and create an environment that is not saturated with scary reports and dire predictions.
When you are fighting an illness, especially a serious illness such as heart disease or cancer, mindset is everything. And when the world is facing a crisis like COVID, that makes it more important than ever that you do whatever it takes to inject as much positivity as you can into every day.
Focus on your passions. If you’re stuck at home, fill as many of those hours as you can with the things that you love.
No Excuses
Practicing self-care in the face of the pandemic doesn’t mean giving yourself license to go crazy with the comforting, but wildly unhealthy, indulgences, from pigging out on sugar and fat to ramping up your alcohol intake to planting yourself on the couch in front of the TV.
You can still eat a healthy diet and get plenty of exercise. Spend time in nature. Take a daily walk around the neighborhood, or go biking or hiking.
This will not only get you moving, which is great for your physical health, but it will also help you to get away from all the pandemic pandemonium. You’ll feel a bit more “normal” for a while, as nature works its healing magic on your mind and spirit.
No matter what your age or your health status, exercising every day is going to boost your immune system, support heart health, stimulate your brain, and improve your mood. You’ll be stronger and less stressed. And that’s key to managing your illness, pandemic or no pandemic.
Go Remote
With community spread still an issue in many states, it’s probably not a good idea to venture into public, especially into a clinic or hospital, unless absolutely necessary. That doesn’t mean, though, that you have to delay the medical care you need, however.
Healthcare providers nationwide have turned increasingly to telemedicine to ensure patients maintain access to consistent, high-quality care, all without having to leave the safety of their homes. Best of all, thanks to today’s mobile health technologies, healthcare providers can even order certain medical tests, such as EEGs, ECGs, and certain sleep studies, to be performed remotely using wearable health tech.
Get Your (Financial) House In Order
Debt is one of the greatest stressors that you can have in your life. And if you’re facing a job loss or a reduction in your income due to the virus, you’re probably panicking as you wonder how you will make ends meet.
The most important thing is not to risk your health over something you can’t control. That’s easier said than done, of course, when you’re staring down the barrel of a default, but there are definite steps you can take to give you some peace of mind and an actionable strategy for navigating today’s financial crisis.
For instance, if you’re facing medical and student loan debt, reach out to your lender. Federal student loan payments have been temporarily suspended due to the pandemic, but even if you have private loans, your lender will likely be willing to negotiate a repayment or rehabilitation plan. You may even qualify for loan forgiveness on the basis of your health, particularly if your illness developed after you signed the promissory note for the student loan!
The Takeaway
Managing a chronic illness is a challenge in itself. Add to that the burdens of seeing your way through the worst global pandemic in modern history and life can feel completely overwhelming. But you can still maintain your health in the face of COVID with a little strategy and a lot of self-care.
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