Living with a chronic illness like heart disease, diabetes, or Parkinson’s disease can impact our mental health and cause chronic illness burnout. More about chronic illness burnout, what causes it, and ways to beat it, have been discussed in the following array of the article.
What is Chronic Illness Burnout?
The CDC reports that in the United States, an estimated six in every ten adults have at least one chronic illness. (1) Although it is a known fact that many individuals experience chronic illness, burnout associated with chronic illness is often unacknowledged, which further leads many individuals with chronic illnesses to feel further isolated.
Chronic illness burnout (CIB) is a condition usually defined in terms of Chronic illness distress, or when the affected individual feels overwhelmed by the relentlessness of their chronic condition. Over time, this chronic illness distress can lead to burnout.
Everyone can have different symptoms of chronic illness burnout. However, in general, it can mean that the affected person stops taking care of themselves and managing their chronic conditions.
Some common symptoms of chronic illness burnout could include: (2)
- Feeling exhausted and overwhelmed.
- Feeling ineffective.
- Felling cynical about or detached from maintaining health.
- Skipping medications necessary for chronic illness management.
- Finding it difficult to fall asleep.
- Experiencing constant fatigue.
- Experiencing changes in appetite.
NOTE: Although chronic illness burnout can be a component of depression, just because someone has CIB does not mean that they are clinically depressed.
Why You Might be Having Chronic Illness Burnout?
Having Chronic Illness Takes Too Much Time and Energy
Being chronically ill takes a long time to recover. From managing symptoms to attending frequent appointments with the doctor, being chronically ill can make you feel burnt out as it takes too much time and energy. Additionally, people with chronic illnesses will have to stay away from participating in various enjoyable activities, and this could make them feel irritated and distressed.
Being Chronically Ill is Expensive
Suffering from chronic illnesses can make you feel distressed because the medical bills that you would be receiving frequently can be shocking and can bring you a financial burden. This could lead to chronic illness burnout.
Lack of Understanding From Others
Sometimes it becomes difficult for others to understand you when you are chronically ill. Anyone suffering from chronic illnesses might be unable to leave their room, having a sense of worry that other people, including their family, partners, friends, and co-workers won’t understand or believe their problems when they do not participate in specific activities because of their chronic condition.
How to Beat Chronic Illness Burnout?
Rest to Beat Chronic Illness Burnout
One of the most important things to consider while trying to beat chronic illness burnout is to take sufficient rest. Ensure that you are getting quality rest, which means offering rest to both your mind and body. You can spend some time by doing some relaxing activities.
Spoon Theory Could Be Beneficial
Spoon Theory, developed in 2003 by Christine Miserandino (U.S. writer and blogger) uses spoons as a unit of energy. This was used to describe Christine’s experience with lupus. (3) The basic idea of spoon theory is that you have a limited number of spoons on any particular day and various activities require a certain number of spoons.
Spoon Theory allows numerous people to feel seen and understood in their experiences and also provides a common language for people with chronic conditions to use with each other. It can also be beneficial for families and friends of people who struggle to understand why the energy of a chronically ill person appears to vary from time to time or day to day.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) helps you understand that the way you think, feel, and behave are all interrelated. CBT approaches include encouraging positive self-talk and addressing negative thought patterns. This therapy can be beneficial for people experiencing chronic illness burnout. It can help the patients spot negative thinking and regain a sense of control over how they react to the symptoms of their chronic conditions.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is another therapy that can help you beat chronic illness burnout. It helps you learn more about your illness, accept the condition, and commit to positive action. Acceptance and commitment therapy helps you accept your negative thoughts and not shy away from them.
Exercise and Practice Mindfulness to Beat Chronic Illness Burnout
Gentle exercise could be a great way to manage chronic illness burnout and also help you lift your mood.
Mindfulness could be a great way to find peaceful and relaxing moments. It will also help you focus more on things that can help beat the burnout.
Join Your Support Group
Joining your support group will be helpful. Connecting with others who understand your chronic condition can be a validating experience. You can join online groups like Made of Millions, MeetUp, and Psychology Today and find your support.
Final Words
Living with chronic illnesses can make you feel totally miserable and initiate negative emotions and thoughts in you, which can ultimately lead to more misery and cause chronic illness burnout. Knowing about several ways to beat chronic illness burnout can be beneficial for people experiencing the same. Make sure to consult with a therapist if you are struggling hard to make up your day.
