Coaching Illness and Limiting Beliefs

 Chronic illness can lead to many of us feeling as though we are losing control of everything. This may include physical capabilities, career, and social life. You have so many questions about your future that there may not be immediately answered. It is not surprising that so many people fighting chronic illness end up experiencing feelings of low morale. 

Other factors relating to ill health can exaggerate these feelings further. Loss of purpose and financial instability from time off work are two common ones. The effects of anxiety are physically damaging, not just emotionally.  Over time it all adds up and we begin to doubt ourselves. We stop believing in our capacity to look after ourselves and cope. We may even doubt the physical capabilities we still do possess. Such limiting beliefs lead us into a downward spiral which will make physical and emotional challenges harder to overcome. The tools in the following section may help you though:

5 Ways You Can Stop Thinking Catastrophically

 Catastrophic thinking is a type of limited belief which can result from seeing events in absolute terms. You may perceive the world as either bad or good, all or nothing, black and white. These thought patterns present tremendous emotional risks and can lead to mood swings. If this sounds like something you experience, then you may want to try to find the grey area in each situation, as it will enable you to view events more calmly and rationally. Let’s look at some typical examples of catastrophic thinking within the context of chronic illness and identify what establishing the middle ground might look like instead. The following six examples may help you:

“I Will Never Get My Health Back”

Never is an absolute word and believing this to be true may lead to feelings of hopelessness. Health can also mean many things. While it may be true that you will be living with your condition for a long time, you are likely to have retained some level of physical and emotional health. You may also be able to make some gradual lifestyle adjustments which can help you. Establishing the middle ground could be thinking “My health has deteriorated, but there is much I can still do, better yet, I can make slight improvements.”

“My Life is Over”

 Thinking that something is over is another absolute thought which can lead to depression. “Life” has so much potential meaning. If you can still breathe and think, there are options available. Middle ground thinking in this case would look something like “I am not able to live the same life which I used to enjoy, but I can retain parts of it. Maybe I can modify some of those areas while finding alternative purposes.” 

“I Am Incapable”

This is a blanket statement. When I’ve heard others say this, the first question which comes to mind is incapable of what? This can be a very disempowering belief and we are all capable of something, regardless of how small. A far less catastrophic variation of this might be: “There are a lot of activities I am not able to perform as well as before my illness, however, there are a few things I am somewhat capable of doing to some extent. There may also be some new activities which my energy levels allow me to perform.”

“I Am Weak”

While chronic illnesses will usually lead to physical deterioration, they often lead to those experiencing them becoming more emotionally resilient. A more rational and empowering belief might be: “I have lost a lot of physical strength and energy, but there are exercises which I can do to regain some of it. I am also mentally tougher than I used to be.”

“I Have No Control Over What Is Happening to Me”

This is an example of reactive thinking which is a by-product of learned helplessness. Granted, there will be things in life none of us can’t control including the economy, those around us and aspects of our condition. However, writing off your ability to control anything will leave you feeling more vulnerable. Identifying the middle ground, in this case, would be thinking something like: “There are events beyond my control, but I am going to focus on the parts I can still control. There are small things I can still make happen.”

Make a list of things you can control and what can you make happen.