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“Mental strength is all you need” (??)
Being mentally strong is a huge part of any chronic illness. The mind is connected to the body in a way no one fully understands, but is shown in how mental attitude aids recovery from illness. (1/8)
Being mentally strong is a huge part of any chronic illness. The mind is connected to the body in a way no one fully understands, but is shown in how mental attitude aids recovery from illness. (1/8)
However, there’s currently a narrative going round that being mentally strong means you can “beat” any illness. Genetic, progressive conditions included. (2/8)
We see people lauded for overcoming acute illness through “mental strength” and fitness gurus saying “the body is strong, only the mind can fail”.
Codswallop.
Being mentally strong does not mean a person will never get ill, or even that they can beat their illness. (3/8)
Codswallop.
Being mentally strong does not mean a person will never get ill, or even that they can beat their illness. (3/8)
Indeed, the strongest people I’ve ever spoken to are often on the transplant list/organ recipients. Maybe a transplant made them a bit tougher, but they will have been hard as nails to have gotten that far in the first place. (4/8)
What mental strength does is help people live normal lives despite their chronic illness. It gives them the resilience to spend two weeks in hospital then bounce out uncured but able to go back to work, education and general life whilst still doing all their treatments. (5/8)
without wallowing in self pity. Answering the “are you better now?” Questions with a smile not shouting, “obviously not, have you seen my drug stash?”
That’s real mental strength. (6/8)
That’s real mental strength. (6/8)
Yes it’s important to occasionally allow time for reflection on the difficult medical events, but it’s equally important to keep that time short and focus on what’s important. (7/8)
Maybe mental strength is in putting illness to the back of the mind. Still doing all the treatments etc, but allowing the other things of life to fill the foreground. Personally I concentrate on all the good in my life, not on the bad.
#cysticfibrosis
#cysticfibrosis
