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Emotional Effects of Chronic Illness and Pain



Therapy for Chronic Pain No matter your age, living with a chronic illness or disability can be devastating and painful. A disability can occur from an accident or can be a spontaneous event resulting from illness. A chronic illness is an illness that lasts for a very long time and usually cannot be cured completely. However, the affects of chronic illnesses often can be controlled through psychotherapy, diet, exercise, and certain medicines. Examples of chronic illnesses include diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, kidney disease, ulcerative colitis, HIV/AIDS, lupus, and multiple sclerosis.

Why is depression and anxiety so common in people with a chronic illness?

People diagnosed with chronic illnesses must adjust to the demands of the illness itself, as well as to the treatments for their condition. The illness can affect a person’s mobility and independence, and change the way a person lives, sees himself or herself, and/or relates to others. For these reasons, a certain amount of despair and sadness is normal. In some cases, a chronic illness may actually cause depression, which, though treatable, is a serious medical condition by itself.

Depression and anxiety are some of the most common complications of chronic illness. It is estimated that up to one-third of individuals with a serious medical condition experience symptoms of depression. Depression and illness may occur together because the physical changes associated with the illness trigger the depression, the individual has a psychological reaction to the hardships posed by the illness, or simply as a coincidence.

Which long-term illnesses lead to depression?

Any chronic condition can trigger depression, but the risk increases with the severity of the illness and the level of life disruption it causes. The risk of getting depression is generally 10 to 25 percent for women and 5 to 12 percent for men. However, those with chronic illnesses face a much higher risk -- between 25 and 33 percent.

Depression caused by chronic illness often aggravates the illness, especially if the illness causes pain, fatigue, or disrupts your social life. Depression can intensify pain. It causes fatigue and sluggishness that can worsen the loss of energy associated with these conditions. Depression also tends to make people withdraw into social isolation.

The rate for depression occurring with other medical illnesses is quite high:

  • Heart attack: 40%-65%
  • Coronary artery disease (without heart attack): 18%-20%
  • Parkinson's disease: 40%
  • Multiple sclerosis: 40%
  • Stroke: 10%-27%
  • Cancer: 25%
  • Diabetes: 25%

Coping with chronic illness

Depression, disability, and chronic illness form a vicious circle. Chronic illness can bring on bouts of depression, which, in turn, can lead to a run-down physical condition that interferes with successful treatment of the chronic condition. Psychotherapy can break this cycle by helping you do the following:

  • Learn how to live with the physical effects of the illness.
  • Learn how to deal with the treatments.
  • Make sure there is clear communication with your doctors.
  • Keepinh emotional balance and coping with negative feelings.
  • Maintaining confidence and a positive self-image.
  • Taking action as soon as symptoms of depression appear.
My Doctorate in Naturopathy, Masters in Psychology, and accreditations as a Nutritionist, Herbalist, Hypnotherapist, and Registered Addiction Specialist allows me to address chronic illness with a mind/body/spirit approach. When combined, these methodologies help my clients to feel better faster. For more information, please call me at (Phone).



Articles by Dr. Randi Fredricks, Ph.D.

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Whenever you are confronted with an opponent, conquer him
with love.
~ Mahatma Gandhi

One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity.
~ Albert Schweitzer

The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you are not capable
of doing.
~ Walter Bagehot

Dr. Randi Fredricks, Ph.D., LMFT ♦ San Jose Psychotherapist, Psychotherapy and Couples Counseling
1174 Lincoln Ave Suite 6 ♦ San Jose, California, 95125


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Randi Fredricks is a Psychotherapist providing Psychotherapy and Couples Counseling, and Licensed as a Marriage Family Therapist MFC 47803. Dr. Fredricks is Executive Director of Randi Fredricks, Marriage and Family Therapist, Inc. © 1991 - All rights reserved. The recommendations on this website do not constitute professional advice, substitute for professional treatment, or establish a therapeutic relationship. Dr. Randi Fredricks, Ph.D. of San Jose Psychotherapist, Psychotherapy and Couples Counseling is a psychotherapist in San Jose, California providing counseling, psychotherapy, and therapy for individuals and couples with relationship issues, anxiety, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, relationship issues, self-esteem, addiction, co-dependency, trauma, abuse, eating disorders, and managing grief and loss. If you search for counseling San Jose, psychotherapy San Jose, psychotherapist San Jose, therapist San Jose, counselor San Jose, couples therapist San Jose, couples counselor San Jose, marriage therapy San Jose, life coach San Jose, career coach San Jose, executive coach San Jose, you can find San Jose Counseling and San Jose Psychotherapy and Dr. Fredricks in San Jose and the Silicon Valley as the leading provider of such services. In addition to serving San Jose, Dr. Fredricks serves Campbell, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Milpitas, Mountain View, Monte Sereno, Cupertino, Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz, Felton, Sunnyvale, Morgan Hill, Fremont, Los Altos, and Gilroy, California.