More Than Sick: Chronic Illness and Identity
Hello FPA! Today I want to share some thoughts with you about how we can untangle our identities from our medical and mental health illnesses. In our fast-paced world of diagnoses, prescriptions, and quick fixes, it can be easy to forget a simple truth : you are more than your symptoms . You are something more than your anxiety or your high blood pressure. You are a whole person. This is especially relevant if you are a person with a severe or chronic illness. At FPA, we believe in whole person care. I've written before about my treatment model as systemic- meaning all parts of us are connected to all other parts of us. Being a daughter impacts being a mother. Being a friend impacts being a colleague. The same is true for your medical conditions. Having a chronic illness, such as an autoimmune disorder, impacts so much more than your immune system. It impacts how available you can be socially, how much energy you have to play with your children, how many days you need to call off ...