Why my partner’s chronic illness makes me anxious?

I always wondered why my partner’s chronic illness makes me anxious because I am an optimist and I consider myself lucky to be healthy. I am a happy man, however, being married for over 10 years to a chronically ill woman who has endometriosis and fibromyalgia I found the answer to this question. You can find it below…

Chronic Illness

Dedicated to Male Partners

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I often find myself feeling anxious about my partner’s chronic illness and all the potential implications it may have for our relationship. I worry that chronic illness will make my partner more dependent on me, or that it will put a strain on our relationship. I also worry about the financial burden that chronic illness can bring.

A chronic illness can be a lot for anyone to deal with, but when it’s your partner who is chronically ill, it can be especially challenging. Chronic conditions cause a lot of anxiety to those who suffer from them but loving a chronically ill person also affects you.

If my partner’s illness progresses, it could mean more doctor’s appointments, more medication costs, and potentially even having to miss work to care for my partner. All of these things can add up and make me feel very anxious about the future.

What can I do if my partner’s chronic illness makes me anxious?

I found that there are two ways of going about it, one relates to your partner, the other one, to you. The secret to having a happy relationship is knowing that you are loved. That goes to both partners, not just one. So make sure that you tell your partner how much they mean to you.

Chronic illness can be a difficult thing to deal with, especially, if you constantly feel anxious, but anxiety doesn’t have to mean the end of your relationship.

A word to your partner…

Your chronically ill partner needs to realize that you are both in this together. They should not try and blame you for the things you aren’t immediately aware of. But your partner should not feel guilty for being sick and needing extra care from you either.

You both need to be patient with each other and understand that chronic illness can be unpredictable. Talk to each other about your anxiety and chronic illness, and work together to find ways to manage it.

Your ill loved one should look for support groups or counseling if they feel like they need more help dealing with chronic illness and anxiety in your relationship. There is no shame in getting help to deal with chronic illness, and it can actually be very beneficial for your partner.

My advice for you!

If you are in a relationship with someone with a chronic illness, it is important to talk about your fears and concerns. It can be helpful to seek out support from friends or family members who understand what you are going through.

There are also many online support groups for people in relationships with chronic illness patients. Remember, you are not alone in this.

There may be not many sites like Worry Head that aim to focus on supporting partners of chronically ill people, but they do exist. Because such resources are rare, I created this very blog to help people like you find support and information.

My partner’s chronic illness makes me anxious, but I have learned how to cope with this anxiety. Here’s what you can do:

• Talk to your partner about your anxiety, her chronic illness, and how you’re feeling.
• Seek out support from friends or family members who understand what you are going through.
• Look for online support groups for people in relationships with chronic illness patients, either in person or online.
• Seek professional help if your anxiety is proving to be too much to handle on your own.
• Work on managing your stress levels in general, through relaxation techniques, exercise, and healthy lifestyle choices.
• Remember, you are not alone in this.

The complexity of anxiety with chronic illness…

Chronic illness can be a difficult thing to manage, not just for the person suffering from the condition, but also for their loved ones. Chronic illness and anxiety often go hand in hand, which can put a lot of strain on relationships.

For me, my partner’s chronic illness has been a big source of anxiety. I worry about my wife’s health and whether or not she’ll be able to manage her condition. So far she did, but she had plenty of struggles, including suicidal thoughts and attempts…

I also worry about the financial implications of chronic illness and the impact it will have on our lifestyle.

It’s been difficult to adjust to my partner’s chronic illness, but I have slowly learned to cope with my anxiety. I’ve been attending my wife’s cognitive-behavioral therapy and have even started to talk about my own anxiety with my partner. I also try to be more present at the moment and focus on the positive aspects of our relationship.

There are many kinds of anxiety my partner suffers from, these include general anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and panic disorder. In order for me to control my partner’s chronic illness making me anxious, I had to learn what she was going through.

General anxiety. One of the things I’ve had to learn about is my partner’s general anxiety. This type of anxiety is often characterized by chronic worrying, racing thoughts, and difficulty concentrating. My partner often feels on edge and has a hard time relaxing.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder. My partner also suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder, which is a type of anxiety that is characterized by intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors. People with OCD often feel the need to control their environment and may have difficulty tolerating uncertainty.

Panic disorder. My partner also suffers from panic disorder, which is a type of anxiety that is characterized by sudden and unexpected attacks of fear. These attacks can be accompanied by physical symptoms such as sweating, heart palpitations, and difficulty breathing.

How to manage anxiety?

To help my partner cope with her general anxiety, I’ve learned to be patient and understanding. I try to listen to her worries and help her find ways to cope with them.

To help my partner cope with her OCD, I’ve learned to provide reassurance and try to help her find ways to cope with her intrusive thoughts. I also make sure to give her plenty of time to relax and de-stress.

When it comes to her panic attacks, I’ve learned to stay calm and try to help her through the attack by focusing on her breath.

To help myself cope with my worries, I’ve started my own blog. It allows me to express my thoughts and feelings about my partner’s chronic illness. It also helps me to connect with other people who are going through similar experiences.

Blogging has given me a space to be open about my anxiety and my partner’s chronic illness. It’s been therapeutic for me, in a way, to be able to share my experiences with others who can relate. This has allowed me to chronic illness, and in turn – my anxiety has become more manageable.

Blogging helped me keep my anxiety in check, and furthermore – it also added another component to it – a sense of financial security! Here’s why…

I have a goal in life, to build a stable passive income through my blogging business. I am still in the process of building my blogging biz, but I have already begun to see some results by gaining a small monthly passive income. As my blog grows, so will my income, until the point I can quit my 9 to 5, to spend more time with my chronically ill wife.

So, does my partner’s chronic illness make me anxious? I cannot say that anymore. Sure, there will always be occasional worry, but that’s normal.

Blogging helps me escape the “new normal”, gives me purpose in life, I help others by spreading my knowledge and experience, and knowing that it will allow me to spend more time with my chronically ill partner, helps my anxiety about the future go away.

If you want to learn how to cope with your partner’s chronic illness, how to support her struggles, and manage a relationship with a chronic condition, I give away a FREE Chapter of my eBook: “Supporting a Chronically Ill Partner”. 

This chapter alone has all the comprehensive information about acknowledging the struggles, including:

• A word to your partner.
• A word to you.
• Stepping on eggshells.
• Understanding her needs.
• How to acknowledge having a chronically ill partner?
• Acknowledging can be hard.
• 15 tips on how to do it!

Conclusion…

I hope you found this helpful, if you or someone you know is struggling with anxiety about a chronic illness, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. There are many resources available, and you are not alone.

If you’re looking for more information on chronic illness and anxiety, check out these blog posts:

• https://www.worryhead.com/money-anxiety/
• https://www.worryhead.com/panic-disorder/
• https://www.worryhead.com/ocd-treatment/
• https://www.worryhead.com/can-anxiety-cause-chest-pain/
• https://www.worryhead.com/how-to-support-a-woman-with-a-chronic-illness/

Let’s meet in the comments section below and share our chronic illness and anxiety experiences!