Mighty Well
  • Shop
  • Learn
  • Journal
  • Join Us
  • Who We Are

Mighty Well

  • Shop
  • Learn
  • Journal
  • Join Us
  • Who We Are
Chronic IllnessFeaturedGeneral WellnessThe Undefeated

6 Ways to Build Confidence Despite Chronic Illness

by Ann-Marie September 22, 2020September 22, 2020
written by Ann-Marie
Mighty Well Team holding their arms up to show strength

Living with chronic illness can significantly impact your confidence levels and change how you look at yourself. It’s common to feel as though your body has ‘let you down’ or ‘is broken’. These beliefs understandably make you feel less confident within yourself. 

How chronic illness can affect your confidence 

When you aren’t able to do everything you used to be able to do, for example not being able to work, go out with loved ones or keep up with hobbies, it can make you doubt who you are as a person. When you feel as though the things that made you who you were and gave you purpose are taken away, it can lead to a confused sense of self. 

Needing to ask for help can be a big hit to self esteem, especially if you were a particularly independent person before you became chronically ill. It can be frustrating not to be able to do everything you want to do, to say the least. 

It can be so easy to blame yourself when you have a flare in symptoms or when you can’t complete a task. Even though logically we may know that it’s not our fault and that we’re trying our best, sometimes it’s hard to actually feel that way. 

Using mobility aids or having other equipment you need to use regularly to manage your chronic illness can feel frustrating (even embarrassing at times) and change how you view your body. 

This 2017 study on how those with chronic illness adjust to their new reality explains that, “The presence of a chronic illness alters an individual’s sense of self, as the previously held healthy identity is replaced by an illness identity that includes physical impairments, emotional reactions to physical symptoms, and cognitive constructions of the illness.”

Stigma means that we may experience poor treatment from others. As much as this shouldn’t be the case, unfortunately it’s still a possibility: this can be really gut-wrenching and reduce confidence levels. Other people not understanding (even when they try to and mean well) can be really hard to cope with. 

When you’re unsure about what the future holds and which goals you are, or are not, going to be able to reach, this can be nerve-wracking and reduce self-esteem. It can feel as though you aren’t in control of your own life. For all these reasons and more, confidence can be a hard thing to rebuild and maintain when you live with chronic illness. 

Negative perceptions can worsen chronic pain 

Unfortunately these negative perceptions can actually worsen chronic pain symptoms, and make the experience of living with chronic illness even more difficult. When we have negative perceptions of ourselves and our illness, we’re less likely to actively keep up with adaptive (meaning helpful and productive) self management strategies and to engage with treatments effectively. Understandably, when symptoms are not well-managed they can worsen.

Lack of confidence can even mean that those with chronic illness don’t reach out for help when they need it, or try to hide their struggles. This can be detrimental to their recovery journey. 

A lack of confidence can contribute to a decline in mental health. Depression and anxiety are common comorbid conditions with chronic illness and can worsen chronic symptoms. As well as contributing to the lack of motivation for self-management, the areas of our brain which regulates our emotions and regulates pain share the same neural pathways! This means they can influence one another. This study explains that, “injury sensory pathways of body pains have been shown to share the same brain regions involved in mood management”. 

Stress can cause and worsen chronic pain, creating a cycle known as the stress and pain cycle. A lack of confidence and negative perceptions of yourself can increase stress levels, therefore actively contributing to an increase in symptoms. 

For many reasons, isolation and withdrawal from activity are common problems for those who are chronically ill. When you lack confidence, you’re even more likely to withdraw from social interaction and other activities. When we become more inactive, it can lead to deconditioning. Deconditioning means that the muscles and joints become weakened because they aren’t being used. This deconditioning can contribute to pain and other symptoms.

A study from the Journal of Health Psychology investigated how self-esteem affected chronic illness patients and discovered that, “Low self-esteem predicted more negative affect, less positive affect, greater stress severity, and greater symptom severity in daily life.”

How to build confidence 

This can all sound a bit worrying, but there are lots of ways you can build your confidence and create a more positive experience for yourself. Let’s take a look at 6 great ways you can get started on your confidence journey:

1. Reframing how you look at your body

Instead of looking at your body in a negative way, for example feeling your body has let you down, reframe those thoughts. It’s time to think of your body as an ally, rather than as the enemy. Your body is fighting chronic illness with you! Despite all of its challenges it’s still fighting and functioning in the best way it can, just like you. Your body is a warrior, and together you can find ways to overcome your chronic illness and live well in spite of it. 

2. Replacing negative self talk and negative thoughts

A technique that can be learned through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is replacing negative thoughts (which are unhelpful) with positive ones (which are more productive). This is easier said than done but once you begin to implement it into your daily life, it becomes more natural. 

When you have a negative thought or are talking negatively about yourself, for example thinking “I can’t do anything!”, stop it in its tracks. Sometimes it can be helpful to think the word ‘STOP’ or even say it out loud. Actively replace that thought with something positive. In our example this could be, “I am doing my best, and look at all the things I can do even though it’s hard.” 

This 2019 study on self-compassion in those with chronic illness explains that, “self-compassion is proposed to facilitate adaptive emotional responding to the inevitable setbacks that occur when trying to change health behaviors, by promoting self-kind versus self-blaming responses”.

It’s all about appreciating yourself and focusing on the positives about yourself, even when things don’t go to plan. Treat yourself as you would treat a loved one. We’re often so good at being there for others and building them up. It’s time to start doing that for yourself. 

3. Mindfulness

Mindfulness can help us to gain greater control over our emotions and to control anxiety. Through regular mindfulness practice we can introduce mindfulness into our day to day lives. As with the CBT techniques, this can become a positive habit. By centering yourself in the present and letting go of worries, negative thoughts and feelings can drift away and instead you can learn to feel more in control and more positive. 

A study from the Journal of Clinical Psychology discovered that “Participants with higher levels of mindful awareness and self compassion presented lower levels of pain intensity and depressive symptoms, and higher levels of AE (meaning activity engagement).” 

4. Listing 3 positive things

Listing three positive things about yourself at the end of each day can be really helpful in viewing yourself in a more positive light. These three positives can be something you achieved during the day or something you felt good about (maybe you had a good hair day, you liked your outfit, or maybe you made someone smile). 

You could choose to simply think of these three things and list them in your head or you could write them down. Jotting them down in a journal means you can look back at them when you’re struggling and remind yourself of just how wonderful you are! By doing this every night, you go to bed thinking positively about yourself, and you start to gradually shift your mindset towards actively looking for the positives within yourself. 

5. Surrounding yourself with positive people

Who you surround yourself with in your life can markedly influence your self esteem. Ensure that you are surrounding yourself with people who encourage you, who are there for you and who help you to build your confidence. If there are people in your life who are taking away from your confidence, consider distancing yourself from them as much as is realistic for you. 

Don’t be afraid to set boundaries with those in your life, even those you love. You have a right to express your feelings, to ask for what you need and to set clear boundaries with others for the benefit of your own mental and physical health. Being firm and clear but respectful can be hard, but with practice you can start to prioritize your wellbeing. 

6. Finding purpose

Sometimes it can be tough to find purpose when you’re chronically ill, especially if you’re not working or are in a job that you don’t feel passionately about. Whether it’s a hobby you love, a personal goal or a professional endeavor, find something you really care about and want to throw yourself into. Finding purpose can provide motivation, excitement and hope, and build confidence! 

We all deserve to feel good about ourselves. Each one of us deserves to be able to see just how amazing we are. We’re all worthy of self-love and self-compassion. Most importantly, it is possible to get to a place of confidence within yourself despite chronic illness. 

References

Vicki S. Helgeson, Melissa Zajdel, (2017), “Adjusting to Chronic Health Conditions”. Annual Review of Psychology, Vol. 68:545-571 

Sheng, J., Liu, S., Wang, Y., Cui, R., & Zhang, X. (2017). “The Link between Depression and Chronic Pain: Neural Mechanisms in the Brain.” Neural plasticity, 2017, 9724371. 

Vanessa Juth, Joshua M. Smyth, Alecia M. Santuzzi, (2008), “How Do You Feel?: Self-esteem Predicts Affect, Stress, Social Interaction, and Symptom Severity during Daily Life in Patients with Chronic Illness”. Journal of Health Psychology, Volume: 13 issue: 7, page(s): 884-894

Sirois, F.M., Hirsch, J.K. (2019), “Self-Compassion and Adherence in Five Medical Samples: the Role of Stress.” Mindfulness 10, 46–54 .
Sérgio A. Carvalho  David Gillanders  Lara Palmeira  José Pinto‐Gouveia  Paula Castilho, (2018), “Mindfulness, self compassion, and depressive symptoms in chronic pain: The role of pain acceptance”. Journal of Clinical Psychology, Volume 74, Issue 12, December 2018, Pages 2094-2106

3
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Ann-Marie

previous post
Sensory Friendly: 3 reasons we love the Mighty Well Mask!
next post
Sasha Pieterse: bringing PCOS into the light

You may also like

Mighty Well Mask FAQ

July 2, 2020

A Different Form of Normal

January 20, 2017

Trying out the Self Care Case – Your...

June 17, 2019

Diagnosed With Diabetes… Now What?

February 17, 2021

Diabetes Gift Guide: The Best Gifts for Diabetes...

July 23, 2019

Sia: Our Friend in the Fight

October 24, 2019

Spoonie Summer Barbecue Guide

July 4, 2019

Feeding Tube Resource Guide

January 13, 2022

Spoonies and the Sun

July 11, 2019

Decorating Your Mighty Pack

December 23, 2020

2 comments

Joan M McCaul June 3, 2021 - 11:27 pm

This is fantastic. Thank you for creating this website.

Ariela Paulsen August 6, 2021 - 3:13 pm

You are very welcome!

Comments are closed.

About Us

Hi, We're Mighty Well.

The mission of Mighty Well is to help patients and their caregivers turn sickness into strength. We are leading the global charge that changes the perception of patients from victims to fighters. We do this by improving the experience of being a patient. We create the products we wish we’d had: functional and stylish apparel and accessories that you can wear with confidence - and content that can help you get through the good times and the bad. It’s wellness you can wear.

Keep in touch

Facebook Twitter Instagram

Instagram

No images found!
Try some other hashtag or username

Recent Posts

  • 3 Tactics For Managing Anxiety Attacks

    May 19, 2022
  • Top 3 Digital Medication Organizers

    May 13, 2022
  • 7 Things I Wish I’d Known About Motherhood With Chronic Illness

    May 5, 2022
  • Self Care Case: What do you carry?

    April 21, 2022
  • 5 Tips for Navigating Chronic Illness With Executive Function Challenges

    April 7, 2022

Categories

  • Adaptive Wear
  • Chronic Illness
  • Featured
  • Friends in the Fight
  • General Wellness
  • Healthy Work Environments
  • Lyme Disease
  • Medical Devices
  • Mightier Together
  • Mighty Models
  • PICC Line
  • Popular Posts
  • Relationships and Support
  • The Undefeated
  • Treatment and Care
  • Uncategorized

Tags Cloud

Adulting Be Your Own Advocate blm Cancer Chronic Illness coronavirus coronoavirus covid-19 Daily Brain Fog Fix Diabetes Dysautonomia EDS feeding tube Feeding Tubes feeding tube supplies Fibromyalgia Gastroparesis holidays how does a feeding tube work immuno hoodie invisible illnesses Living Mighty Well Living With a PICC Living with a Port lyme disease Medications MedPlanner mental health Mental Illness mighty mask Mighty Pack mighty well mask Misdiagnosed neurodiversity New Years Organization Tips PICC PICC line cover PICCPerfect POTS Self-love self care case Support Systems TPN Tube Feeding

Our Story

Mighty Well - Founder - Emily Levy - Our Story

 

It all started with a cut off sock, a cute hockey player, and an 8 AM finance class. Oh, and a PICC Line. That moment inspired us to launch our first product, the PICCPerfect PICC Line Cover.

 

We know it stinks to feel defined by a diagnosis or feel like just a name on a doctor’s chart. Sounds like you? Read how our founder turned sickness into strength.

Recent Posts

  • 3 Tactics For Managing Anxiety Attacks

    May 19, 2022
  • Top 3 Digital Medication Organizers

    May 13, 2022
  • 7 Things I Wish I’d Known About Motherhood With Chronic Illness

    May 5, 2022

Join the Fight

Mighty Well's Facebook Page

Find us on Instagram

mightywell_

One positive that came out of the pandemic was tha One positive that came out of the pandemic was that many of us were able to have flexible working arrangements. As more states lift restrictions, heading back to work after months of working from home can be a huge adjustment for so many of us. Allowing time in our schedules for commuting, brushing up on our social skills, and making sure to have access to our medical supplies are just a few things we need to prepare for.

📸 Mighty Well ambassador @ameliablackwater headed back to the classroom last week and is working on finding a happy balance of working, socializing, and finding time for herself. 

If you've returned to work, what was the hardest part about making the transition back? 
.
.

#MightyWell #YouAreMighty #FriendsInTheFight #LiveMightyWell #Undefeated #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #LymeDisease #LymeWarrior #Spoonie #SpoonieLife #SpoonieCommunity #AdaptiveWear #KeepFighting  #SupportSystem #PICC #PICCLine #Port #Autism #WFH #RemoteWork #Telecommute #MightyWellMask #Pandemic
Before you move forward always be sure to check th Before you move forward always be sure to check the price tag 💵
.
.
#MightyWell #YouAreMighty #FriendsInTheFight #LiveMightyWell #Undefeated #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #LymeDisease #LymeWarrior #Spoonie #SpoonieLife #SpoonieCommunity #AdaptiveWear #KeepFighting  #SupportSystem #PICC #PICCLine #Port #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #Anxiety #Depression #PTSD
Life is full of uncertainties. But there will alwa Life is full of uncertainties. But there will always be a sunrise after every sunset 🌅

"The only certainty in life is uncertainty. I challenge you to embrace it. Even if it's just for a bit" ~@kali_rarerootedwarrior ☺️

Featuring: The Mighty Pack & Undefeated Hat
.
.
 #MightyWell #YouAreMighty #FriendsInTheFight #LiveMightyWell #Undefeated #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #LymeDisease #LymeWarrior #Spoonie #SpoonieLife #SpoonieCommunity #AdaptiveWear #KeepFighting  #SupportSystem #PICC #PICCLine #Port #Gastroparesis #EDS #MastCellDisease
We really love this message from @lizandmollie. In We really love this message from @lizandmollie. In fact, we couldn't have said it better ourselves 🤗 Chronic illness is filled with ups and downs and everyday will look a little different. Know that you're doing your best even on the days that you are flaring, in pain or fatigued. Remember that we are here to support you on the good days, the bad days and all the ones in between 💚 
. 
.
#MightyWell #YouAreMighty #FriendsInTheFight #LiveMightyWell #Undefeated #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #LymeDisease #LymeWarrior #Spoonie #SpoonieLife #SpoonieCommunity #AdaptiveWear #KeepFighting  #SupportSystem #PICC #PICCLine #Port #ChronicFatigue #MultipleSclerosis #Lupus #SickleCellAnemia #Endometriosis #POTS
Going into a medical procedure is always a little Going into a medical procedure is always a little scary. The best way to minimize fear and anxiety is to go in as prepared as you can! If you are feeling nervous for an upcoming PICC line placement procedure, head to our latest blog (link in bio) for some confidence boosting tips so you can feel ready to go! 

📷 Friend in the Fight @zebrajemma loves her PICCPerfect PICC Line Cover. It keeps her PICC line in place without adhesives and is so comfortable 🤗
.
.
 #MightyWell #YouAreMighty #FriendsInTheFight #LiveMightyWell #Undefeated #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #LymeDisease #LymeWarrior #Spoonie #SpoonieLife #SpoonieCommunity #AdaptiveWear #KeepFighting  #SupportSystem #PICC #PICCLine #Port #IVIG
You can hardly wait to tell everyone what happened You can hardly wait to tell everyone what happened and  suddenly start talking and realize you don't know where the story is going...has this happened to anyone else lately 🙋‍♂️We've been there! Brain fog, perhaps the most universal aspect of illness, is exhausting. Cognitive disorders can be frustrating but take solace in knowing that you are not alone. We've all experienced that foggy feeling 🌫 and although it's not permanent, it can arrive quickly and definitely overstay its welcome. 

Looking for a little help getting the fog to lift? Our Brain Fog Fix Planner is more than just a reminder system. It includes space to track daily symptoms, hydration, thoughts and moments of gratitude amidst the daily challenges and is brought to you with input from our Friends in the Fight® Click the link in our bio to find out more. 
.
.
 #MightyWell #YouAreMighty #FriendsInTheFight #LiveMightyWell #Undefeated #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #LymeDisease #LymeWarrior #Spoonie #SpoonieLife #SpoonieCommunity #AdaptiveWear #KeepFighting  #SupportSystem #PICC #PICCLine #Port #BrainFog #ChronicFatigue #CognitiveDisorder
We've got your back! Our Mighty Pack is the first We've got your back! Our Mighty Pack is the first medical backpack designed by patients, for patients. Our backpack is perfect for wheelchair users, as it has multiple strap locations to allow for flexibility. Nobody needs to know that you are carrying or wearing your essential medical devices and supplies. As patients ourselves, this is a product that we wish we’d had! 💪💚 Best of all this can be purchased with most FSAs (Flexible Spending Accounts) and HSAs (Health Savings Accounts) Click on the photo to take a look inside the Mighty Pack. 

📹 We are all smiles over this video of Mighty Well ambassador @rebellious_story & her dog Sherlock 😍
.
.
 #MightyWell #YouAreMighty #FriendsInTheFight #LiveMightyWell #Undefeated #Community #Health #Wellness #ButYouDontLookSick #InvisibleIllness #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #ChronicIllnessWarrior #LymeDisease #LymeWarrior #Spoonie #SpoonieLife #SpoonieCommunity #LivingwithChronicIllness #Crohns #InfusionPump #MedicalBackpack #DiabeticLife #Gastroparesis #EnteralNutrition #Wheelchair #Tubefeeding #MedicalSupplies #TubeFed
The school year is quickly coming to a close and w The school year is quickly coming to a close and we wanted to send a Mighty shout out to all the students who worked so hard this year despite the challenges of COVID 🙌 We know that it was a challenging year with limited in-person learning, social distancing, and the requirement of face masks. We are so proud of all of you and you should be too! 💚

📸 Featuring The Mighty Well Mask
.
.
 #MightyWell #YouAreMighty #FriendsInTheFight #LiveMightyWell #Undefeated #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #LymeDisease #LymeWarrior #Spoonie #SpoonieLife #SpoonieCommunity #AdaptiveWear #KeepFighting  #SupportSystem #PICC #PICCLine #Port #Pandemic #HomeSchool #Graduation #SocialDistancing
I’m proud to be trans and I’m proud to be disa I’m proud to be trans and I’m proud to be disabled — because you can’t put a boundary on being yourself ~@thedisabledhippie
 
Happy Pride Month to all of our Friends in the Fight in the LBGTQIA+ community 🏳️‍🌈
.
.
#MightyWell #YouAreMighty #FriendsInTheFight #LiveMightyWell #Undefeated #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #LymeDisease #LymeWarrior #Spoonie #SpoonieLife #SpoonieCommunity #AdaptiveWear #Pride #LBGTQ #Transgender #LoveisLove #NonBinary #BiSexual #GayPride #Instalove
Follow on Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Linkedin

Mighty Well © 2018 All Rights Reserved


Back To Top