Top 5 Ways To For A Couple To Deal With Chronic Illness


It may seem like this topic isn’t the happiest topic to have as our final blog entry before the New Year, however since capacity, availability and self-love is so important to a relationship, I thought what better way to start the New Year off for a couple where one partner has a chronic illness than with some helpful tips to make the best of their situation.

When one partner has a chronic illness in a relationship, the illness can be stressful enough as it is, but it can also put a lot of stress on the relationship as a whole as well.

When I was a growing up, my Mom was ill quite frequently and my Dad suffered from depression, so I got to see first hand the stresses of illness on a couple let alone a family. So I made it a life mission to learn as much about health, depression and all areas of relationships so I could one day help other couples out there who may suffer from the similar stresses of living with a partner who has a chronic illness.

The following are some of the suggestions that I have gathered over the years for the partner of someone who has a chronic illness:

Take Time For Yourself: If you are living with a partner who has a chronic illness, the best way to relieve stress, to recharge, and to be at your highest and best is to make it a priority to take time to breath and focus on your own needs. You do not want to get sick as well and your partner would want nothing more than for you to be healthy and happy. Seeing you happy also will help your partner to feel better too.

Don’t Hesitate To Ask For Help: Just as important as taking time for yourself, is also asking for help and embracing help from others. The power of family and friends can have an amazing healing power for both you and your partner. Getting help from a professional support worker, caregiver or nurse is just as important whenever possible, so everyone can take turns in being strong and supportive for you and your partner. If you have a choice in selecting your support worker, care worker or nurse, look for someone who absolutely loves what they do and watch them do their magic by providing a warm and supportive environment.

Share As Much Time Together With Your Partner Doing Things and Interests That You Both Have In Common: Do activities that you both love doing together in order to keep yourself bonded and connected together instead of focusing on the illness, even if it is as simple as snuggling together, playing cards, doing a puzzle or watching your favorite show together. Don’t forget to talk and connect at a deep level and share each other’s thoughts, dreams and feelings as often as possible in order to maintain your special emotional bond that the two of you have together.

Make Each Other Laugh: Make it a daily ritual to make your partner laugh, at a bare minimum of at least a day, and ideally as often as possible. Laughing is great for body circulation, energy circulation, getting air in the lungs, releasing tension, releasing pleasure or feel good chemicals in the brain and bonds people together. What better way to heal and have fun for you and your partner then being able to share a good laugh together.

Find Others To Talk To: With most of the centre of attention being on your partner, you may forget that you may need a little attention too, so find a friend or family member who knows how to listen who can focus on you, so you can talk about whatever you would like to talk about.

The key to any successful relationship is being able to maintain an emotional bond no matter what is going on in the relationship as well as balance and having both members in the relationship having their needs met. When there is one member in the relationship who has a chronic illness, it makes maintaining a successful relationship harder, but as long as both members continue to do what they do best which is loving each others, love themselves and honoring their commitment to their relationship they will always be happy and successful no matter what happens.


On Behalf of Dr. Robby and Myself…

Happy New Year!!!

Melody Chase