Dealing with a chronic illness can, unfortunately, negatively affect even the strongest of relationships. This is natural, as the ill individual might understandably start changing how they feel, and their partner might not know how to cope with the potential new caregiving responsibilities thrust upon them.

Support

Having a partner who is your primary source of care and support can significantly alter the dynamics in your relationship. It can alter the way you see each other, perhaps sometimes you feel like you are a burden more than a partner, or perhaps you are the carer for your partner and sometimes you need to have a break.

There is support for both of  you, such as Chartspan, the nation’s leader in chronic care management. These services take on the burden of managing complicated illnesses, giving you more time to focus and enjoy quality married life.

Communication

Communication is an important factor for any relationship, but it’s even more vital for those that have chronic conditions. Relationships can suffer when people don’t discuss problems that haven’t got an easy solution. This lack of interaction can lead to a feeling of distance and isolation, which affects your general mood and wellbeing.

It is vital that you both state what it is you want and need so both of your expectations are clear. It needs to be set out clearly what level of care is wanted, or required, as an imbalance can make the caregiver overwhelmed, and the ill person can feel more like a patient than a partner.

It’s essential to find a good middle ground when you’re trying to communicate how you both feel. Talking about the health issue all the time is just as bad as never talking about it at all, as it can make both parties fixate on the negatives and cause an overall sense of anxiety and dread. The level of communication you have has to be well balanced, to reinstate a sense of normality to the situation. This is just one way to keep your relationship strong despite chronic illness.

Other Relationships

Dealing with a chronic illness as a couple can also be very isolating but having strong friendships can be an excellent buffer for depressive emotions, and make you feel less entrapped by the condition. Building a strong support network spreads the burden between more people, making it feel more manageable.

There are always support groups available to both partners for their individual circumstances, this can help you both to discuss your issues and feelings with others who can understand and perhaps even help you to deal with your issues.

Socializing

It’s understandable that socializing may not be appealing to some chronic illness sufferers, due to the fear of being socially rejected and that being out might make it challenging to deal with some issues such as bladder control or wheelchair access. Still, it may be an excellent way to momentarily distract yourself from the situation.

Marriages can be challenging to manage while suffering from a chronic illness; however, some marriages can start to flourish under these circumstances. They do this by utilizing as many techniques as they can, understanding each other’s needs and building a support system, and if you use these techniques, then you can get through this too.