The First Step

Fear is a normal response to a chronic health condition diagnosis. You may fear for your future, or that of your loved ones. Fear of pain, fear of dependence, fear of being defined by your chronic health condition, fear of dying…

Much of this fear is often rooted in one hazy concept: the unknown. Being diagnosed with a chronic health condition suddenly transforms our future from a well-thought out plan (even though we know plans rarely play out as such) to a black box, containing truths unknown. When faced with the unknown, especially as it relates to illness, it’s easy to take a worst case scenario approach. Oftentimes, all we know of a disease is its worst possible outcome, usually through personal stories of others, the media, or the Internet search that inevitably turns up the most dire outcomes of a disease.

Worst case scenarios rarely come to fruition. Most often, chronic health conditions follow a rather standard progression hovering somewhere in the middle between “worst case scenario” and “miraculous recovery”. When faced with the unknown, especially as it relates to a chronic health condition, your mental state and outlook can make a big difference in your quality of life. Focusing on the worst case scenario can quickly lead to a negative spiral of anxiety, depression, and isolation: all conditions which are known to negatively influence health outcomes.

On the other hand, focusing on realistic alternatives to the worst case scenario – and better yet, best case scenarios – can instill hope, happiness, and optimism, all powerful forces in recovery and healing. Remember, most prognoses and treatment outcomes are based on the average patient. Why not aim for outcomes that exceed the average, or are even extraordinary? Someone is bound to achieve them, why not you?

Fear associated with a chronic health condition is powerful, but you can harness its power for good. Fear can motivate us to take a proactive approach to our health and to do everything within in our control to tip the scales from “worst case scenario” to “best case scenario”.

“Hope is clear-eyed. It sees all the realities that you face, all the obstacles, all the problems, all the potential for failure. But through that, it sees as well a possible path to a better future. It’s not guaranteed, but it’s possible.” – Dr. Jerome Groopman, MD

Take Action: Download the  ADDRESSING FEARS REFLECTION EXERCISE

What is most important to you in life? What brings you joy? What do you live for?

These questions all seek to arrive at the same answer, and the answer is important for the journey ahead. It is your life’s aspiration, your motivation to heal.

Answering these questions may be difficult to do, and the first answer that pops in your head may not be the ultimate answer you arrive at. To get to the core of your true motivation, you have to peel back the layers. To do so, it may help to keep asking yourself Why? So, your reflection might progress like this:

My motivation is to decrease my back pain. Why?

So that I can regain my mobility and strength. Why?

So that I am free to walk wherever I like. Why?

So that I can take a walk along the beach from time to time, like I used to do. Why?

Because I am at my very happiest, barefoot on the beach, watching the sun set. I want to experience that happiness again.

Think BIG! Start with your ultimate aspiration, and then work your way backward to figure out which areas of your health you, with the help of your health care team, can address to achieve it.

Discovering your true motivation is so important, because it centers you in your life’s meaning and purpose, and it helps instill focus, commitment, and determination on the road ahead. When you’re able to keep sight of your ultimate motivation to heal, you’ll be able to set and achieve goals and face challenges with more conviction.

A dream vacation, revisiting your childhood home, a reunion with an old friend, a physical feat, a big celebration, dancing with your partner, learning a new language…any of these things and a million more could serve as your motivation to persevere on the journey ahead. Focus on what brings you the most joy in life, and let that image be your guide.

Evidence continues to mount showing the effectiveness of the VA’s approach and an integrative model of medicine and health.

Once you’ve identified your motivation – what it is you want to live, heal, and thrive for – you’ll need to start thinking about the steps it will take to get there. You can think about these steps as your individual goals for healing.

Each goal represents both a challenge and an opportunity, and the accomplishment of each individual goal – big or small – is a reason to celebrate. What should your goals be and how do you identify them?

Here are some tips:

Work your way backward

Your goals and your motivation should be aligned. Start with the big picture: your ultimate motivation. What would need to happen to realize that vision? What about your lifestyle or the current management of your health would need to change? You may find it helpful to complete this activity to help you with this process.

Think holistically

Health and wellness aren’t only dependent on your physical state, so that shouldn’t be the only area your goals target. Take a look at the Integrative Health Ribbon  on the home page to identify the areas in your life that you’d like to improve. Then, you can start mapping out individual goals to target that area.

Inform your health care providers

It’s important for all your health care providers to be aware of the goals you set for yourself, so that they can prescribe or direct you to the best treatments and resources to help you achieve them. Share your goals with your health care providers. Better yet, use some of the time with your provider(s) to set your health care goals.

Move forward

Once you’ve given some thought to what your goals are, you’ll need to start taking steps to achieve them. The health care options section of this site will provide you with additional information about all aspects of health care, including evidence, tips, and treatment options for you to explore. Then, you can take action by outlining an integrative health care plan that includes all of your goals and start action planning to achieve them.

Why aim for average outcomes, when you could aim for the extraordinary? “Setting the table” means, for a patient, enhancing the effectiveness of treatments by getting in the best possible health prior to starting treatment and maintaining that level of health once treatment has begun. It involves 1) pursuing the best of evidence-based medicine with a great medical team, AND 2) nurturing your whole self by taking a holistic, proactive approach to your own health care.

Setting the table by getting and keeping as healthy as possible gives you the best chance to achieve wellness, both today and in the future. How?

1. Getting the most out of your medical treatments. Treatments can be their most effective and well tolerated when the body is as healthy as possible to start with.
2. Shifting the natural progression of disease. Lifestyle modifications, stress management, integrative therapies,and other aspects of health can all play a role in halting or delaying disease progression and promoting healing.
3. Preventing the onset of other diseases. Forty percent of Americans have at least two chronic diseases. By preventing the onset of a new disease, you are giving yourself the best chance of healing from what already burdens you and setting the stage for optimal health in the future.
4. Giving YOU control in the healing process. Your future is not set in stone; you are not powerless. By proactively setting the table for success, you are regaining control in your future and the outcomes you can hope to achieve.

“I spend my day trying to convince people to stop killing themselves, most people fight me all the way.”            — Rob Gleser, MD

Change is hard.

You’ve established goals, or at least thought about them. But oftentimes, when it comes to taking the first step in making changes…we hesitate. To proactively take control of all aspects of your health care when faced with chronic health condition, change is necessary. The downside is that change is hard, and uncomfortable, and often even scary.

“What are you scared of?” Opening this line of inquiry can help get to the core of what roadblocks an individual is putting in their way.

Does what you eat define who you are? Does trying different methods define who you are? Ask yourself these questions and try to figure out what you are holding onto—is it more important to you than your health? You’ve probably heard people say that they’d rather die than cut down on beer or steak or sweets or something else that they enjoy. If you find yourself making similar statements, to take a moment and examine where your priorities lie.

Really?

In the end, the root fear often comes down to a very common anxiety about change. This is about change, and change can be scary—but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth giving it a chance.

Start Small

You don’t need to make big, overwhelming changes to improve your health. Start with small, manageable steps that you will be more likely to follow and enjoy. You may very soon find out that even small changes to your health plan can make a marked difference in how you feel. And by taking more small steps to improve your holistic health, you’ll increase your confidence in your ability to make even more changes and keep moving forward.