How to Work Through a Mental/Chronic Illness Diagnosis

I have both, and one is just as tough as the other.

My bipolar diagnosis fell on me like an avalanche. I knew little about the condition, but I knew it was one of the bad ones, included with the likes of schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder.

My knowledge of mental illness was minimal and vague. The lack of facts immediately filled me with fear. I thought my life was over.

I was 23 and as much as I thought I knew, my wheelhouse of knowledge was that of a typical 23-year-old. I knew nothing.

“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” — Francis of Assisi

Mental Illness, Then Chronic Illness

The Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) diagnosis came in my mid-forties. I would love to pretend I was a lot wiser by then, but life experience had taught me a little.

With the FMF, the diagnosis was a relief because after decades of suffering, I now had a name for my enemy. Still, with frustrating symptoms including gastroparesis and neuropathy, it was a struggle to maintain a positive outlook.

Receiving a diagnosis is a lot like being dumped in a deep pit. It’s dark, cold, and escape feels impossible. However, as you look around your new home, you see potential tools — a few rocks here and a stick there — and you devise a plan.

With time and effort, you can climb out of any pit. While many chronic illnesses don’t currently have a cure, you can apply the same principle to your care. Look around. Find tools. Get to work.

With each diagnosis, I started with the necessary. I made sure I was eating healthy food and getting plenty of rest. Then I looked for the possible, little ways I could improve things. Writing a blog and getting a job with a four-day workweek both helped keep my mind stable. When I got those areas in control, I looked for more ways to grow.

Control What You Can

Most illnesses have aspects you can control. Even if it’s only managing your nutrition or sleep patterns, those efforts are helpful. As you focus on what you can do, additional options will appear. As you master each possible task, the top of your pit will get closer and closer.

Think today about the possible. Pick an area in your life where you can make a change. Work on that one thing until you master it and then pick another.

Living a full life with mental illness is possible, but you have to focus on the necessary until you can conquer the impossible.

Write Your Thoughts

Explore the possible with these writing prompts. If you write a Medium story, please come back and leave a link.

Journal Prompt: What are the possible things you can start doing right now? Pick one, and write a plan on how you will pursue it.

Creative Writing Prompt: Your character is trapped in a deep pit. Write a story about how they got there. Do they get out? Does anyone help them? As a bonus, make your character an animal.

Until next time, keep fighting.

Sign up for my FREE Sunday All Things Bipolar Newsletter (off-site link) and I’ll send you a few downloadable gifts to improve your life.