A disease is considered chronic when it persists for at least 1 year and requires ongoing medical attention or limits activities of daily living or both (CDC, 2021). These limitations of daily living may include using the toilet or getting dressed in the morning, which can be extremely difficult when one is experiencing extreme pain or fatigue. The symptoms for chronic disease vary depending on the disease, however common invisible symptoms, such as mood disorders, pain, and fatigue are very common. Along with the illness, individuals living with chronic pain typically partake in health management tasks, such as taking medication or exercising, to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. “Most chronic illnesses do not fix themselves and are generally not cured completely. Some can be immediately life-threatening, such as heart disease and stroke, while others linger over time and need intensive management, such as diabetes (Cleveland Clinic, 2021).” Typically, chronic illnesses persist throughout a person’s life, but are not always the cause of death, such as arthritis.

Chronic Disease Facts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• 6 in 10 adults in the United States have a chronic disease.
• 4 in 10 adults in the United States have two or more chronic diseases.
• Approximately 27% of children in the United States suffer from a chronic condition, while about 6 percent of children have more than one chronic condition.
• Chronic diseases can affect a person’s quality of life and independence as they age.

The Department of Health in Victoria, Australia provides a list of ways to cope with a chronic illness, which include:
• Find Information – this can help if you feel helpless or out of control
• Emotional support from others – particularly family and friends, this can be a source of great help
• Join a well facilitated support group
• Set concrete, short-term goals – to restore certainty, power and control
• Think about possible outcomes

Common Stressors for long-term illness (Department of Health, 2020)
• Living with the physical effects of the illness.
• Undergoing treatments
• Maintaining emotional balance to cope with negative feelings.
• Maintaining confidence and a positive self-image.
• Clearly communicating your needs to medical staff.

Some chronic illnesses and diseases include:
• ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
• Cancer
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Eating Disorders
• Heart Disease
• Obesity

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References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). About chronic diseases. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/index.htm.
Chronic illness: Sources of stress, how to Cope. Cleveland Clinic. (2021). Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/4062-chronic-illness
Chronic illness. Department of Health: Victoria, Australia. Better Health Channel. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/chronic-illness