specialty care
Chronic Illness and Medical Trauma
Living with chronic illness or medical trauma can feel unfair. It can disrupt routines, be time consuming, and leave you questioning “what next”.
Therapy for chronic illness and medical trauma support can help you change despair into hope. You can find better ways to cope with the unpredictability, build a meaningful life while living with illness, and stop the “what if” spirals that drain you of your energy.
People with chronic illness and medical trauma can have a variety of experiences depending on their illness and treatment options. Below are common experiences people report while living with chronic illness:
Managing the impact of an illness or medical trauma involves more than just managing symptoms. If illness or medical trauma has taken a physical, emotional, mental, or social toll on you, it may be helpful to reach out for support. You can build a life with meaning that reflects all parts of you, not just the part that’s ill.
While many people will experience illness or negative treatment experiences, having a difficult medical experience doesn’t automatically mean someone will develop medical trauma. As previously stated on the PTSD and trauma page, trauma is about the impact of an experience, not how serious it is. It also doesn’t have to be one intense event and can instead be from several overwhelming experiences. Challenges around chronic illness and medical trauma typically arise from experiences such as:
Repeated procedures, surgeries, or hospitalizations
Serious or life-threatening illnesses
Painful or invasive medical procedures
Experiencing a medical error
Birth Trauma
Medical gaslighting (ex. Having symptoms minimized or attributed to “just anxiety” or trauma, having to “prove” that something uncomfortable or distressing is happening to you)
Loss of trust in healthcare providers
Feeling powerless or out of control in your medical care
Prolonged uncertainty while searching or waiting for answers
Repeated procedures, surgeries, or hospitalizations
Serious or life-threatening illnesses
Painful or invasive medical procedures
Experiencing a medical error
Birth Trauma
Medical gaslighting (ex. Having symptoms minimized or attributed to “just anxiety” or trauma, having to “prove” that something uncomfortable or distressing is happening to you)
Loss of trust in healthcare providers
Feeling powerless or out of control in your medical care
Prolonged uncertainty while searching or waiting for answers
This feature of living with chronic illness or medical trauma deserves its own acknowledgement. While we can name the feelings and what situations can lead to these experiences with chronic illness and medical trauma, the identity shift that occurs often gets dismissed. This can lead to changes in how one sees themselves, their relationships, their outlook of the world, and their future in the following ways:
The body you used to have
Abilities you’ve lost or your participation in activities being impacted
Changes in work role or financial possibilities
Your ability to be spontaneous
Increased cynicism and nihilistic views (after facing negative experiences, our brain tries to shield us from further disappointment and will “prepare for the worst”)
Shattered assumptions (ex. When trauma alters someone’s beliefs around safety, fairness, goodness, or the predictability of life)
Changes in relationships
The future you had envisioned
If you notice these shifts in your views of yourself, others, or the world, it may be helpful to reach out for support.
What we focus on in therapy
Together, we can work to build a life with meaning, presence, and accomplishment and leave behind the grief, minimizing, and bracing for the worst. When we allow ourselves to grieve what was, we can make space for what can be. The journey to that future can include:
If you’re exhausted navigating the medical system on your own, pushing through the pain, or crashing from exhaustion, therapy for chronic illness and medical trauma can help. You don’t have to face it alone, I’m here to help you find your voice.
FAQ
If you’re questioning it, it most likely counts. Many people doubt, shame, or minimize their trauma because “it’s not that bad”. This is an example of the unhelpful beliefs from trauma that keep people from getting help. In short, if you experienced something overwhelming and it’s affecting your sense of safety, relationships, emotions, body, or ability to move forward, it’s worth exploring with a therapist. Trauma is about the impact of an overwhelming experience; not about how serious it was.
You can schedule a free 15-minute consultation call by clicking the consult button at the top of the page.
During our call, we will talk about what experiences have led you to reach out. Then, I will answer any questions you have and ensure I am a good fit for your needs.
You can schedule a free 15-minute consultation call by clicking the consult button at the top of the page.
During our call, we will talk about what experiences have led you to reach out. Then, I will answer any questions you have and ensure I am a good fit for your needs.
LET’S CONNECT
Whatever the obstacles you face, let’s face them together.
Click the schedule button or call 970-823-0040 to get started today!
