Relationship 101 - Making A Relationship Work With Chronic Illness
Relationship 101 - Making A Relationship Work With Chronic Illness
Getting along with someone over a long period of time, when confined to the same living quarters can be challenging at best. Add in a chronic illness and what was difficult can become almost impossible. How do you manage to keep a relationship on the right track when one of the partners has a chronic illness?
Each person needs to try and pull their own weight and help keep balance in the relationship.
The one with the illness has to remember the difficulties placed up on their partner by having and loving someone with a chronic disease.
The healthy partner needs to try and make things easier on the other person by remembering they have a chronic illness. They may not be able to do the things you'd like to go out and do. Or they may have to stick to a specific type of regimen.
Both partners need to remember they love and care about the other person, and neither of you are purposely making life difficult for the other.
You need to focus more on what both of you bring to the relationship instead. Focusing on the good parts of the relationship can make it easier to cope with the more difficult times.
Make sure and tell the other person how much you care for them. It can be really hard coping with a chronic illness, but it can be just as hard supporting and caring for someone with a chronic illness. Showing each other you are supportive and appreciative of what they do can make things better for everyone.
You'll also want to ensure the both of you have supports outside the relationship. Each of you having your own support group can help, and then having one for both of you will make life a little easier to live with. Sometimes we simply need to vent to others that have the same type of life circumstances that we have. There are grievances and vents our partners do not need to hear, but something that at times we just need to get out. Having your own sets of support groups will allow you to do this without upsetting your partner.
Relationships are never cut and dry. There are always going to be things unique to your relationship. The key thing to remember though is just because your relationship is different, doesn't mean there are not others out there who can help support you so that you can give 100% to your partner and your relationship.
Maintaining a relationship takes work. For more tips on keeping your relationship together, click here