Educate Yourselves<\/strong><\/p>\nKnow your enemy. <\/p>\n
Dive into research. Familiarise yourself with the illness. Understand its implications, its management. Knowledge not only gives you power but can alleviate fear and uncertainty. <\/p>\n
Work as a Team<\/strong><\/p>\nRemember, it’s not: <\/p>\n
\u201cYou vs. your partner\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\nIt\u2019s:<\/p>\n
\u201cBoth of you vs. the illness”. <\/em><\/p>\nThis is a team event so share the responsibilities. Seek professional help when needed. Cooperate. Collaborate. Stand together, because that’s what will get you through.<\/p>\n
Foster Emotional Resilience<\/strong><\/p>\nLet’s dig a bit deeper on this one. <\/p>\n
Chronic illness doesn’t just have physical effects, does it? It can be a real emotional rollercoaster too. But remember, you’re in this together and couples who address their emotional responses to chronic illness together have better coping mechanisms.<\/p>\n
So – and this is especially true if you\u2019re a man of a certain age, forget trying to act like Clint Eastwood in one of his: I\u2019m self contained, I don\u2019t need nothing or no-one roles. <\/p>\n
In spite of what you might have heard\u2026<\/p>\n
\u2026Research strongly suggests we\u2019re braver and more resilient when we know we the support and back up of our partner.<\/p>\n
So, how do you do that? <\/p>\n
\n- Acknowledge your feelings<\/strong> \u2014fear, frustration, sadness\u2014 they’re all perfectly normal. Don’t bottle them up, let them out. <\/li>\n
- Focus on the positive<\/strong> – Look for the silver linings. Maybe the illness brought you closer or made you realise what really matters in life. <\/li>\n
- Practice mindfulness<\/strong> – Now don\u2019t get me twisted. Yeah, it’s a buzzword, I know, but it’s not mumbo jumbo \u2014it’s science. Mindfulness: Touching the present moment deeply, can help manage stress and improve emotional health. So take deep breaths. Focus on what you can see, hear, feel in this moment. Or in other words\u2026Be here, now.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Remember, it’s okay to feel whatever you feel and it’s okay to seek help when the emotional burden gets too heavy. <\/p>\n
The journey of chronic illness is a physical, emotional, mental and for some people spiritual one. By addressing all facets of what makes you human, you can truly work towards holistic wellness.<\/p>\n
Practice Self-care<\/strong><\/p>\nCare for your partner, yes, but don’t forget to care for yourself. You can’t pour from an empty cup, can you? <\/p>\n
It\u2019s important you take care of:<\/p>\n
\n- Your sleep<\/li>\n
- Your social support network<\/li>\n
- Your diet<\/li>\n
- Your exercise<\/li>\n
- Your stress<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Do things that bring you joy. <\/p>\n
Remember, you’re not just a caregiver \u2014you’re a person, too.<\/p>\n
Seek Support<\/strong><\/p>\nFar too many good folk think getting help means they\u2019re a failure.<\/p>\n
So I\u2019m gonna to be blunt \u2014don’t shy away from asking for help. <\/p>\n
It’s not a sign of weakness, but a testament to your strength. Reach out to support groups. Consult therapists, like yours truly, or other professionals. <\/p>\n
You’re not alone in this.<\/p>\n
Now, you might be thinking:<\/p>\n
\u201cThat’s all well and good, Marcus, but can we really do this?” <\/em><\/p>\nAbsolutely, you can. <\/p>\n
Yes, chronic illness introduces challenges, but it doesn’t mean the end of your shared happiness. It’s an opportunity for your relationship to grow stronger. <\/p>\n
You’ve got this. <\/p>\n
Look, I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I do know this: <\/p>\n
Together, you’re more resilient than any chronic illness. <\/p>\n
Together, you can find a way to navigate the stormy seas. <\/p>\n
Together, you can turn adversity into an opportunity to grow and thrive.<\/p>\n
Remember, every journey begins with a single step. Let today be that first step. Reach out. Seek help. Begin the conversation. Embrace the challenge. It might be tough, but it’s also an opportunity to learn, grow, and deepen your bond.<\/p>\n
So, what do you say? <\/p>\n
Ready to give it a shot? <\/p>\n
I’m here when you’re ready, ready to help you navigate this journey.<\/p>\n
I remember my father reminding me of something on his deathbed.<\/p>\n
It went like this:<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not the winning that\u2019s important, it\u2019s how you played the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Till next time,<\/p>\n
Marcus.<\/p>\n
P.S. Discover more about the services I offer here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In our journey together, we’ve navigated a myriad of topics, but today, let’s take a moment to delve into a topic that can often be a bit of a tough cookie \u2014dealing with chronic illness as a couple. Now, we all know life’s no picnic, right?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1288,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/southdevoncouplestherapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1271"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/southdevoncouplestherapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/southdevoncouplestherapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southdevoncouplestherapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southdevoncouplestherapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1271"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/southdevoncouplestherapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1271\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1280,"href":"https:\/\/southdevoncouplestherapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1271\/revisions\/1280"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southdevoncouplestherapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1288"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/southdevoncouplestherapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southdevoncouplestherapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southdevoncouplestherapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}