Positive Self Care Management
Positive Self Care ManagementEven though you may have a chronic health problem, and in fact many people have more than one, you are still you.And you still have the same goals, desires, hobbies, and enjoyments as you did when you lived without thediagnosis.But living with a chronic health condition can be a lot to deal with. Chronic means you will have your condition forthe rest of your life; it is not going away and may over time get worse.There are many examples of chronic health conditions but here are some common ones:AsthmaCOPDDiabetesKidney DiseaseAlzheimer’sHeart Disease including High Blood Pressure and High CholesterolHeart FailureArthritisAnd depressionIf you have any one of these conditions you are living with a chronic disease.However, you are much more than your condition. Your goal is still the same – to live the life you want to live. Andyou can do that, with positive self-care management.Becoming a positive self-manager is key to living with a chronic health condition both day to day and for the longterm. Knowing how to self-manage and working to develop these skills can help make coping with a health problema little easier, both physically and emotionally.Start by giving yourself a break. It will not help your condition to feel bad for yourself, blame yourself, or even denythat you have it. Allow yourself to accept that this is now part of your life and move on to managing it in a positiveway so you can limit how it affects your life every day and for the long-term.Learn all you can about your disease. As an active self-manager, you do not have to learn everything a doctor orresearcher knows about your illness. But it is helpful to learn as much as possible so you can understand how itaffects your body.A great place to start learning about your condition is with your healthcare team.Page 1 of 2This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCGN1023998 EN PositiveSelfCareManagement.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPositive Self Care ManagementMembers of your care team can help you learn how to cope with the day to day challenges you may have. Theycan give you: the skills you need to handle your condition: like managing your symptoms, reducing your pain,and taking medications, the skills you need to make healthy day to day decisions like which foods to choose andwhich to avoid, safe exercises to include in your routine, and how to reduce stress, and the skills you need tocontinue to live the life you enjoy, like maintaining your relationships, reaching out for support and youremotional well-being.When you have learned enough to feel comfortable with the day to day management of your disease, your careteam can continue to help you learn by teaching you to problem solve.And your healthcare team can also help you learn to manage the long-term progression of your condition andhelp you with any concerns you may have for the future.Your healthcare team is a great resource. But they only see you during appointments. You live with yourcondition all day, every day. Therefore you are the best manager of your condition. Work together with yourhealthcare team to get the skills and information you need in order to feel empowered to handle the challengesof living with a chronic disease.Being a positive self-manager is something you will do for the rest of your life. You have a chronic, or long-term,health condition that is not going to go away. But it does get easier. With time and practice, new skills you arestruggling with now will become routine.And you can do it. You can manage your disease and still live the life you enjoy. Become a positive self-managerbecause you know your body and your life best. You are the best person for the job. Learn the skills you need tocope both physically and emotionally every day because you are more than your disease – you are you.Page 2 of 2This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCGN1023998 EN PositiveSelfCareManagement.pdf© The Wellness Network
© The Wellness Network
