Relationships and Chronic Illness: Can it still be a happy Valentine’s Day?

Sourced from The Hysterectomy Association: Hysterectomy Association - Hysterectomy Association - hysterectomy, menopause and hormone replacement therapy (hrt) information and support for women. Chronic illness can take many different forms, and it is not uncommon even for two patients with the same condition to experience different symptoms from one another. However, some common symptoms which affect many people who are chronically ill include fatigue, pain and depression, and these symptoms can have a profound effect not only on the sufferer, but also the sufferer’s partner and their relationship with each other. Chronic illness changes the balance of even the most stable relationships. Pain and fatigue are both incredibly debilitating, and will often lead to the unwell partner becoming heavily reliant on the healthy partner for completing day-to-day tasks like cooking and cleaning. As an illness progresses or flares, one partner may become solely responsible for the family’s income, or assume carer’s duties for their loved-one. As the foundations of a relationship shift, emotions become frayed. The partner who is unwell may feel that they’re a burden on their partner, indebted, ashamed of their condition. Equally, the healthy partner may feel anxious about their loved-one’s health, under stress because of their new responsibilities, resentful of their partner, and even guilty because of this resentment! Both partners are likely to feel overwhelmed by their sudden ...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - Category: OBGYN Authors: Tags: Latest News clinical trials covance relationships Source Type: news