Chronic Illness Truth #2

Grief.

The process of emotional detox that weighs in your stomach and makes your heart physically ache.  

So often people who suffer from chronic illness are misperceived to be "negative" or "attention seeking" because of the grief that comes with the trial.  The truth is that I generally consider myself to be a happy person, but I've lost SO MUCH in my time of illness.  I've lost people I love, and I've lost some of my dreams and aspirations and my ability to achieve them.  It's only NATURAL and HEALTHY to grieve.  Grief just comes with the territory, and taking time to fully experience and feel those emotions is part of processing and coping with the pain.

The key that we all keep seeking for peace.  The key is that we don't give up.  In order to let go of the pain, we first have to allow ourselves to feel it.  It's okay to take time to grieve and it's okay to not be okay.  As we experience this form of pain we can come to a place where we can remember that there is hope and happiness ahead.

When you have a friend who is chronically ill, it's important to hold space for their grief with them.  It's important that we don't constantly criticize because it seems like the negativity is frequent.  It's important that we love those who are suffering so much that the love can heal the grief and we can be the happy and joyful people that we were meant to be.

---

Comment below if you experience grief with your illness and some of the things that help you through it!