Long term health conditions & emotional regulation.
I haven’t written on this topic, and it seems kind of wild because I have spent the last 12 years navigating life with a long-term health condition and this was one of my leading topics in university.
I generally only write on topics I have links with as then I have the personal experience as well as the psychological knowledge to help you with understanding, Having the combination of the two also brings in multiple perspectives.
Firstly, I will introduce you to my health condition then you have an understanding on how my experiences have led me to writing about it. It will also help you see that you are not alone in this.
So, I spend my time living with a neurotic pancreas and pancreatitis, which means I have half a pancreas, and it affects me on a day-to-day basis in several different ways.
The pancreas is the organ in our bodies that is there to produce digestive and hormonal enzymes and if the pancreas is defected it then has issues with digesting or producing the correct hormones, this can mean an over production or an under production of enzymes. Leading to many negative implications, such as pain, sickness, fatigue, depressive traits and more.
Over the last 12 years I have spent much time understanding my physiology in order to maintain a somewhat quality of life.
What I have understood about myself is that my pancreas can’t digest food properly, that I have the incorrect balance in hormones, my gut might not be able to produce serotonin or dopamine properly, I can’t fast due to continuous production of enzymes. And there is still so much more I know I don’t understand.
So, because of my knowledge I must action that I can’t eat big or heavy meals, I can’t eat fatty or heavy dairy foods, I can’t drink alcohol, I have to limit sugar, and I need to remain within a lifestyle of light exercises.
It has not been easy there are so many triggers, some days have been and are still harder than others, but my experiences and understandings within this area will hopefully help you.
The key to living with a long-term health condition is understanding how it affects you.
What is a long-term / chronic health condition?
A long-term health condition is a condition that makes an individual’s day-to-day lifestyle within physical or mental despair. It is a condition that affects individuals in many ways such as mobility, sensual, pain management, lifestyle changes. And it is a condition that is either long-term or life-long. Many term this as a chronic illness, and it can affect any organ or an individual’s respiratory system or cognitive functions.
Long term health conditions can affect any part of the body and can affect individuals in different ways. Some terminal conditions include terminal cancers, necrotic organs, amputations, blood disorders, sensory impairments, endometriosis, respiratory damages, diabetes, organ losses and cognitive defects such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s. These conditions can happen due to accidents, organ failures, genetics, over-use of substances or they can be a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, in other words just bad luck.
But living day-to-day with a long-term health condition is hard no matter what you must endure. Give yourself some credit for making it this far.
How does our brain react to the trauma of a long-term health condition?
Health is so important, before we can have anything in life we must have or strive for good health. Somewhere in the back or in the front of most of our minds is our health status.
Our brains are the centre of our whole being, it is the control system for our whole bodies kinetics, for all our organ functions, for the way we perceive and deliver our emotions, it is where we make decisions, life choices and so much more!
But how does the brain initially react to the news of a long term-health condition?
Our brains can present in many different ways when faced with the news of a long-term health condition it is advised that you seek support from peers if undergoing life changes in this way. Health anxiety is extremely common amongst individuals with long-term health conditions, so please seek assistance for this.
DISBELIEF! This was my first reaction to my news of half a pancreas. (article coming soon on living with half a pancreas).
But then after shock or disbelief, came anger & confusion, then there came bargaining and reasoning, then came depression and acceptance. Within these waves were many emotions, as a huge life-style change was consciously and subconsciously occurring within me. I truly believe most trauma’s have to go through stages of processing, please see 5 stages of grief which may help with understanding different emotions through stages, link here.
Emotional regulation in an individual with a long-term health condition
So, how do you emotionally regulate a long-term illness? You understand how it affects you each day.
You must have maturity, discipline, empathy & acceptance.
Maturity for understanding & maturity to take control of your life changes.
You must be open to connecting with new ideas and lifestyle changes, having an open-mind and accepting some criticism as constructive. You must also refrain from becoming alienated or isolated, ensuring you are reaching out and communicating your own feelings as well as understanding.
Discipline for new routines. You need to adjust to your life-style changes.
You must ensure you understand how discipline plays its role. Knowing your own levels of discipline and seeing where there is need for improvement and how you can structure this. Write-up coming soon as building discipline is extremely difficult.
Empathy for yourself whilst you undergo this life change.
You must be speaking to yourself kindly and remaining within peaceful grounds, maintaining breath work during trauma is important. You must be celebrating your own wins even if this is just getting up and getting ready for the day. You must be patient with yourself during the bad periods and welcoming of any emotions with empathy and openness.
Acceptance of this new version of you.
You must accept this new version of you if it is terminal, chronic or necrotic. Your body may have changed in ways you don’t understand but the first step to healing and growth is acceptance of this new version.
Throughout life many of us face challenging health conditions that rock the boat, within time we come to terms with our path. During this path we may experience PTSD this is due to not being able to regulate properly – please see blog on PTSD for further understandings on PTSD à link here. Further more for all articles containing information on PTSD please link here.
Physiology of long-term health conditions
Do you know about Physiology? What it identifies as?
A quick introduction before the full article. (Physiology is not a current educated strength, but lived experiences have explored the topic).
It is extremely important that when undergoing health conditions that you understand physiological changes as well as psychological changes within yourself and learning how to adapt to any implications is crucial to assist with a healthy future.
Physiology is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a subdiscipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out chemical and physical functions in a living system. – AI. So basically, it is the study from the molecular and cellular levels to the levels of whole organisms and its populations. It is basically what happens in our bodies at a cell level, and then we can assist with what goes in and what comes out of each of ourselves via supplements, vitamins & lifestyle choices.
With long-term health conditions it is of an extreme benefit to understand your own physiology.
How to understand your own physiology.
Physiology is the study of how the body functions. It covers various systems, including:
- Cardiovascular System: How the heart and blood vessels work.
- Nervous System: How the brain and nerves control body functions.
- Respiratory System: How we breathe and exchange gases.
- Digestive System: How food is processed and nutrients absorbed.
You can aid yourself in understanding these differences with active learning, self-assessments such as removing certain foods and monitoring the digestive systems. Adding or removing hobbies and monitoring the respiratory systems. Trying new or removing life experiences monitoring the nervous systems. Or by changing, adding or removing different activities and monitoring the cardiovascular systems.
By keeping a journal or connecting with like-minded people may assist you in understandings. Reviewing information consistently helps with understanding also, for example by comparing one week to another within your personal life and noting any differences will help to isolate any implications that may be affecting you negatively.
It is also important to understand whether your gut creates serotonin or dopamine or whether it lacks the creations or neurotransmitters that turn nutrients into dopamine or serotonin. Whether your body lacks on minerals such as phosphorus, calcium or iron. Whether it needs support with vitamins such as vitamin d or whether it needs neurotransmitter support such as lithium orotate.
A healthy diet and intake both physical and mentally are most important in maintaining healthy bodily functions.
Having good people around you are of benefit as they will strengthen positive structures.
Psychology of long-term health conditions
With long-term health conditions there is a 40% chance of an individual experiencing a mental health condition such as depression or anxiety.
Health anxiety and self-depreciation.
Individuals who suffered a traumatic experience with their health condition are extremely susceptible to experiencing PTSD symptoms and health anxiety. PTSD symptoms include flash backs such as visual, sensual & physical. Health anxiety compromises our nervous system ensuring we are prepared for fight or flight mode in case it comes back again.
Over time these do heal or reduce in their symptoms, but it can leave individuals with depressive traits, such as fatigue, hopelessness, lack of joy especially if one is within pain, or mobility issues or any other condition such as nausea or an upset stomach that effects how an individual can pursue with the upcoming day.
With some conditions also it means individuals have anxiety with food intake, again altering their way of life by reducing their energy.
It is important that if you are struggling physically and mentally with your health condition, that you seek the correct support during this period of regulation.
Regulating long-term health conditions
It is not easy to regulate a long-term health condition. There is much bargaining to the unknown as you plead for understanding where the justice is. Why me?
But not everyone experiences a long-term health condition, and some lose their way instead. We must be grateful that we are the fortunate ones to still be here. We must accept what we have been dealt in the most peaceful way that we are able to.
Deep breaths, you have completely got this.
You can NOT regulate something you do not understand.
This is why I struggled up until my 30’s because I was navigating life without any proper support or understandings. I was experiencing so many different wave lengths, and I was just going with it. If I would have known what I know today I would not have spent 30 years of my life within PTSD & negative healing grounds. Today, this is why I help you, because back then I needed someone like me.
Suicidal thoughts and long-term health conditions
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please get in contact with SAPUK a link here. Fully confidential. The team are trained and can assist with distractive / grounding techniques for assistance with positive regulation. You need time to heal, please use our volunteers.
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, as well as a health condition, please note that it is going to be okay;
You can stabilise and regulate this.
Firstly, you need to accept that are within your rights to feel this way. Suicidal thoughts do not need to be scary; they are a reminder that you have endured trauma. They are there because you cannot control your minds temperament at the moment, but this is the only thing you can control. They are there as your mind wants to escape what it is currently going through. They are temporary. You are worthy.
Suicidal thoughts affect 6.7% of individuals and this is only those who have reported these feelings, many will not report them due to several reasons.
But another reminder you are going to be okay, you just need to understand what is going on, if you are having difficulties with regulation please send me an email at danielle@suicideapuk.co.uk.
Alternatively see the article on navigating suicidal thoughts à link here. Alternatively use this link for other articles on this topic within this website here.
Balancing a healthy quality of life with a long-term health condition
Once you have understood exactly how your long-term health condition affects you within your biological, physiological and psychological processes. You can then understand how to balance a healthy lifestyle working alongside your long-term health condition.
This is in ways such as noting your triggers, does anything enhance your inability of a healthy progressive day. Such as if you consume something your digestive system does not like will you feel negative effects from this, if so, does the removal of this hold more benefit?
If your mobility is affected, will engaging in healthy assistance or connecting with individuals within the same capacity help you with understanding and regulation, such as support groups etc.
It is not easy enduring a health condition, it can make an individual feel ‘less of a person’ or debilitated. Please be kind as many individuals’ illnesses are not visible.
Thank you for reading
All my love
Danielle x