How to cope with loneliness when living with a chronic illness

The difficulties of living with a chronic illness can be tremendous, and it can impact people of all ages, but especially older people. One of the ramifications of a chronic illness can be difficulty in staying sociable due to the limitations and pain that the illness provides. In this guide, we present a few ideas about how to cope with loneliness when living with a chronic illness, helping you to stay sociable despite your condition. First, however, we look at how a long-lasting illness creates loneliness.

How chronic illness leads to loneliness

A chronic illness, or a chronic disease, is a long-lasting or permanent condition that requires a person to receive ongoing medical treatment and/or limits activities of daily living. It could be someone with diabetes, arthritis, MS, cancer, or cardiovascular disease.

Having to constantly manage your condition, cope with consistent pain, and deal with other symptoms, can make it difficult to stay sociable, leading many people to become lonely. Loneliness in the elderly is often exasperated by a chronic illness and the same can be true of younger people.

Psychology Today explains: “Chronic illness interrupts connection by removing opportunities for interaction (Rokach, Lechier-Kimel, & Safarov, 2006). Symptoms and treatment often require withdrawal from the world at large. Pain and fatigue cause chronically ill people to miss out on school, work, and social life—all areas where connection is made and built upon (Macdonald et al., 2018).”

READ ALSO: How to manage persistent pain

How to deal with being alone when chronically ill

It’s important to find ways to stay sociable in order to deal with loneliness, though it can be very difficult when chronically ill. Read on to discover some tips for how to deal with loneliness.

Stay in touch with friends and family 

It can be so easy to fall out of touch with those who mean the most to us. When you live with a chronic disease, however, it’s vital that you do all you can to keep those lines of communication open.

The arthritis support organisation, Creaky Joints, shares this insight: “Loneliness is not another condition of your illness to be treated but rather a natural part of the human experience. While your disease may limit what you can do physically, it doesn’t have to keep you from reaching out to others.”

Sending text messages and emails are some of the most obvious ways of reaching out to loved ones but you can also consider a daily or weekly phone call with certain people. Even if you can’t get out of the house often, hearing someone’s voice over the phone or seeing their face via a video call, can help combat loneliness and helps us feel more connected. 

You can also consider sending a letter if you want to try something a bit different. It’s a lovely feeling to receive a personal letter in the post so both you and your correspondent can enjoy this old-fashioned approach.

Utilise online communities

While a chronic illness might limit your ability to interact with others in person on occasion, there are numerous online communities that can make you feel more sociable.

Connect with like-minded people on social media, find a Facebook group for those who suffer from the same illness, and have fun on the internet via forums and games.

Online games can be a fantastic way to communicate with others and enjoy their company, whether with friends and family or complete strangers. From simple games like online Scrabble to more advanced online strategy and role-playing games, the interactions found in mediums like this can make all the difference.

Join a support group

Those with a chronic illness can find it really beneficial to hear from those who are in a similar situation. There are lots of online support groups available to those with all sorts of chronic illnesses.

Chronic illness support groups like CISFA (Chronic Illness Support For All), look to make sure people don’t suffer alone. CISFA has a support network on Facebook that you are able to join, giving you access to a community that understands just what you are going through.

CISFA describes their mission: “To create a community environment where anyone suffering from a chronic illness can feel safe, heard and understood.”

No matter how alone you might feel, it’s important to remember that there are others like you, and support groups can be a fantastic way to remind yourself of this.

Plan nights in with friends 

Going out to new locations like restaurants, attractions, and even other people’s houses can sometimes not be the most attractive prospect to those with a chronic illness. You might have limited mobility and require the use of a UK stairlift or managing your disease might lead you to be more comfortable at home.

If this sounds familiar, consider planning more nights at home with friends and family. Instead of going out, invite people over to the place you feel most comfortable. You will be more in control of the environment, the food, lighting and other factors.

Ask someone over to watch a film, have dinner, or for another low-energy activity that you can enjoy comfortably. This way you can stay sociable without having to venture out of your comfort zone.

READ ALSO: The challenges of leaving your comfort zone as a disabled person

Enjoy the companionship of pets

Pets can be fantastic companions for those who are feeling lonely due to the impact of their illness.

Dogs, for example, are very sociable creatures, wanting to be around their owner. Further still, dogs need daily walks, providing a great excuse to get out of the house and be around others in parks and on walking trails.

Cats are very low-maintenance pets so are ideal for people with a wide range of chronic illnesses. Simply having a cat nearby, keeping you company while you watch TV or read a book, can help prevent feelings of loneliness.

Explore 

If you are thinking about what to do when lonely, heading out for a bit of exploration can be a great idea. Not only will it get you out of the house, but it can put you into situations where you can interact with others.

You can decide to go for a walk through your neighbourhood or how about visiting a local bookshop or library? Heading to a library to browse the books can be a nice, quiet, non-stressful excursion that puts you in the company of others and provide a bit of human interaction.

Caroline, from the Multiple Sclerosis blog, Girl with MS, shares this advice: “Is there a bookstore or coffee shop in your town that you've never visited? A restaurant you've been wanting to try? It's OK to go out on your own. Explore and find new things - you never know who you might meet along the way.”

Be part of your local community

Being part of a local community is a very helpful way to cope with loneliness. Even if it’s hard to be as sociable as you would like due to your illness, getting involved with local life is still possible.

It could be at your local place of worship, getting involved with charitable endeavours, a book club, or helping look after local green spaces.

By participating in local community life, you can enjoy the benefits of social interaction and being part of something that isn’t focused on your illness.

How to deal with loneliness when chronically ill

• Stay in touch with friends and family
• Utilise online communities
• Join a support group
• Plan nights in with friends
• Enjoy the companionship of pets
• Explore
• Be part of your local community

We hope this article has been helpful and provided some useful tips for how to cope with loneliness when living with a chronic illness. It’s a truly difficult situation so celebrate the little things and find those important connections wherever you can.

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