People living with chronic medical conditions experience many stressors:
- Symptoms of their medical issue
- Pain, fatigue, loss, and grief
- Changes in life activities, changes in sexual health, changes in appearance
- Depression and sadness
- Insensitive or uninterested medical providers
- Access to competent healthcare professionals
- Complex decisions about medications
- Medication side effects
- Misunderstanding of family, friends, and coworkers
- The pressure to appear OK
- Shame
Misunderstanding, discrimination, and marginalization are common experiences for people experiencing chronic medical conditions. Depression and anxiety are common experiences. Counseling is a major step in reaching outside of yourself, helping people repurpose their strengths.