The emotional impact of chronic illness is one of the worst parts of it. Letting the wrong type of thoughts enter your mind can trigger a downward spiral which can be very hard for you to get out of.

Some of us may think that our life is over and that we have very little purpose. Others lament over the loss of activity and identity. Such thoughts can cause anxiety or depression and are hard to alleviate once they have you in their grip.

Mental health issues often lead to further physical health setbacks. It takes significant levels of motivation to overcome these feelings and get yourself into a more positive mental place, especially when already dealing with a chronic medical condition.

Motivation is a mental state which inspires change. It starts with finding that glimmer of hope and following through with action plans. Becoming motivated is the difference maker which can reverse a decline and set you back on an upward spiral. It has been commonly linked to improvements in physical and emotional health.

One of the most famous motivational frameworks is Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (1943). In this theory, Maslow suggests that we all have five levels of needs that motivate us. Maslow’s hierarchy is most often displayed as a pyramid. The lowest levels of the pyramid are made up of the most basic needs, while the most complex needs are at the top of the pyramid.

Needs at the bottom of the pyramid are basic physical requirements including the need for food, water, sleep, and warmth. Once these lower-level needs have been met, people can move on to the next level of needs, which are safety and security.

As people progress up the pyramid, needs become increasingly psychological and social. At this point, the need for love, friendship, and intimacy becomes important.

Further up the pyramid, the need for personal esteem and feelings of accomplishment take priority.

The needs are Physiological, Safety, Belonging, Self Esteem and Self Actualisation. They are what we aspire to obtain, but we are unable to progress to the higher ones until we have satisfied the lower levels which are more contingent on our survival.

Each of these needs can be severely compromised for those experiencing a major illness. Consideration should be given to the following:

• Physiological Needs relates to fundamentals such as food and water, which when denied will threaten our existence. Ill health can also (obviously) represent a threat to our physiological wellbeing, and which can cause a lot of psychological strain. For those with a chronic illness, motivation can mean listening to medical experts and following healthy lifestyle patterns to achieve this need.

• Safety Needs refers to the next level of survival needs, including maintaining shelter, job security and enough finances. All three of these can be compromised during times of illness, as we may be forced out of work, limiting our income, and creating a risk of not being able to afford the rent or mortgage. This is another potential source of major anxiety for many of us. Motivation, in this case, may mean openly communicating with employers to keep our jobs open, finding more flexible forms of work or looking for alternative income streams such as disability/insurance benefits.

• Belonging Needs include being part of a community or tribe. Illness can be very isolating as we no longer have the strength or energy to leave our homes as much as we once did. Consequently, whole social lives can fall by the wayside. Time away from our jobs will also mean not being around our work colleagues which can cause some people to stress. Motivation regarding this may mean maintaining the connection with social circles. Building connections within illness support networks is another alternative.

• Self Esteem Needs refers to belief in one’s self-worth or value. This can also take a hit during illness, as we may not be able to perform the same tasks or achieve the same accomplishments in our diminished physical states. Within this context, motivation will mean finding things to help us feel good about ourselves again. This can include setting obtainable goals which we can achieve. Acquiring knowledge or new skills through study or online courses are alternative options.

• Self-Actualisation means realising our full potential. This is of course restricted by one’s illness condition. However, if the energy is there, then plans can be made, goals can be set, research can be conducted, and knowledge can be acquired. Taking these steps can be a tremendous motivator and set us back on an upward spiral.

We invite you to share your feedback with us. Have you tried any of these before? Have you tried anything different? What has worked for you? What has not worked?

Is there anything else you would like for us to cover?

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As always, if you are experiencing any severe medical or psychological symptoms, we always recommend you speak to a directly qualified professional.

Thank you for checking in with us and we’ll see you again soon.