coping | The Health Sessions

Let’s Talk About Sex: How to Deal with Intimacy Issues with Chronic Illness

It’s not something most people easily talk about: the intimacy issues they face as a result of chronic illness.

By nature, sex is a deeply personal and vulnerable act. Baring your body and soul to someone else is intimate in itself, let alone when you look, feel and experience sex differently than what we believe to be ‘normal’.

But sex also plays an important role in the quality of your life and relationships, even if you’re sick or disabled. That’s why it’s important we normalize talking about sex with chronic illness.

Why You Should Chose Contentment over Happiness | The Health Sessions

Why You Should Choose Contentment over Happiness

“Don’t worry, be happy.”

Bob Marley made it sound so easy, but feeling happy no matter your situation forms a challenge for most of us. It’s hard to be bursting with joy when you’re exhausted and in pain, or when you’re struggling with money troubles and heartache.

Over the past decades, countless of popular psychology books and articles have shown us that there are things we can do to influence our level of happiness. Although our genes and life circumstances definitely play a role too, we can all take steps to get happier.

Of course, that’s great news. And recommended habits like practicing gratitude, moving your body regularly, spending time in nature and building strong relationships all prove to boost your emotional wellbeing. But is the pursuit of happiness actually making us feel better?

Emotional Loneliness: 5 Things to Do When Nobody Understands You

You can be in a room full of people and still feel incredibly lonely. No one really sees you, hears what you’re trying to say, or understands what you’re going through. When you feel this way, what can you do?

People often think that loneliness and being alone are the same thing. But that’s not necessarily true. You can be on your own and have a great time, curled up on the couch with a good book, playing the piano or taking yourself on an artist date. If you’re introverted, you probably even need alone time to recharge.

That’s why loneliness isn’t so much a state of solitude as it is about feeling alone, while you crave human connection. That emptiness can be caused by having a limited social network, with little (close) family and friends to talk to and spend time with. But there’s a second kind of loneliness that’s often overlooked: emotional loneliness.

5 Ways a Chronic Illness Will Affect a Relationship

This article is written by Miranda Davis.

Studies show a chronic illness affects patients and their partners. Apart from relationship dynamics, chronic illness changes the participants’ personalities. This is especially true if a chronic illness occurred midway into the relationship.

Even if your partner was already battling a chronic illness when you met, seeing the love of your life in pain is heartbreaking. Here’s how chronic illness affects relationships.

10 Cozy Ideas to Cope with Social Isolation

When you’re living with chronic illness, you’re probably no stranger to social isolation. Lasting health problems often force us to limit our work and social life, and spend a lot of time at home instead.

But this year is different, even for us. Inviting people over may be restricted, or a risk you’re not willing to take. And going outside can be even more challenging than before.

So what can you do to get through this period of social isolation? Obviously, a lot depends on your living situation, if you have housemates and your health condition. But here are some ideas to get cozy at home this Fall and Winter.