Learning that you have pulmonary
hypertension (PH) or another life altering disease can bring on many
emotions. Everyone affected will experience different emotions throughout their journey and cope with their diagnosis in their own way. Each person will learn what makes them happy and develop ways to make the best of life and stay emotionally well.
What do you do on a daily basis
to help your emotional health? The PH community has spoken out and want to share their experiences with you. If
you feel you are having trouble coping with a chronic illness, maintaining your
emotional wellness or just want to see what others are doing to stay well, check
out the information below. These nine fun tips are sure to brighten your life.
1) Stay in touch with family and friends.
Having
positive relationships with the ones you love is an essential part of staying
emotionally well. These people are your first line of support. Make sure to
participate in family activities and friendly get together’s when you feel up
to it. Even a simple phone call can make
your day so much better. According to Teresa McMillian, “Sometimes it is
wonderful to just spend some time on the phone with a friend just chatting
about nothing.”
2) Surround yourself with support by connecting
online.
In today’s
world, there are many ways to connect with people going through experiences
similar to you.
Attending a local support group meeting can help you meet a
network of people and help you realize you are not alone. With busy lives, it
may be hard to attend all of these support group meetings. Luckily, with modern
day technology, we have the ability to receive support from many different
channels directly from home. There are many ways to connect online. Community created Facebook groups are one popular way to connect online and are helpful to
many people. These groups give people the ability to receive support almost
instantly by connecting with people from all over the country and world who are going
through similar experiences. People in these groups become close friends and
are always there for each other. With such strong support opportunities
available, no one should ever feel that they are alone in their journey. Join
one of these groups today to meet your new friends!
3) Make time for a pet in your life.
The health benefits of being with and around pets are substantial. Pets provide us with companionship and comfort when we need it the most. People in the PH community love their pets! Pets are there for companionship when no one else is around and bring happiness when things aren’t going well. Alice Jones-Jaehne says that her Maltese/Poodle has been great for her husband and herself and helps her PH. Alice says, “I walk him daily whether I feel like it or not because he needs it.” Pets not only bring happiness, they promote physical activity. If you can’t adopt a pet, find someone who has one and arrange a play date! Pets are sure to make you smile when you need it the most.
4) Take time for yourself.
Although
family and friends are important, make sure you are getting enough time to
yourself. Sometimes your mind needs a
time out and being alone is the best way to relax.
Stillness
practices are something that can be done when you are alone. According to the
Center for Contemplative Mind in Society, stillness practices are one way to encourage
contemplation and spiritual healing. Stillness practices include things such as
meditation and sitting in silence. These practices can quiet the mind and make
it easier to take every moment as it comes.
Many people in the PH community say that meditation helps them get
through the day. Learn more about the benefits of meditation to see it if
is something that can help you.
5) Express your feelings and relieve stress through
creativity.
Sometimes you
may be feeling so many emotions and not know how to express them all. Creative
expression can allow you to express feelings openly and freely.
Haley Lynn is an artist who uses creative
expression to express her feelings. The
beautiful art you are looking at are just some examples of Haley’s work. She
shared her feelings about emotional wellness and what art does for her.
“Emotional wellness with any
disease is so important because it’s the most ignored. Emotional pain isn't
something you can just pop a pill for like we do with our bodies...it requires
a lot more work. It needs to be taken care of just like our physical bodies.
I've been an artist my whole life, whether its sketching, painting or writing.
I don't really know why I do what I do, but it's more like something I HAVE to
do to keep going. It's a release of energy. When it comes to my disease it's this
area where I'll always feel comfortable...expressing current feelings, raising
awareness and communicating. It's just me.”
Creative expression is a great coping tool. Other forms of
creative expression include journaling, writing, photography, scrapbooking and
crafting. Remember, there is no right or wrong way to be creative. Just be creative in ways that allow you to
express yourself, relieve stress and relax.
7) Be active if
you can.
Everyone
stays active in their own way. How do people in the PH community stay active?
Debra
Webster does yoga with the help of a yoga instructor. Debra says, “Still being
active keeps me going- I know I am lucky to be able to do that. I have a daily
yoga practice that with the help of my yoga instructor I maintain a log and we
track my progress. I really look forward to that 30 minutes in the early morning
to get me going and set for the rest of the day.” See what a PH specialist had to say about alternative forms of exercise like yoga.
Patty
Sandoval Sralla does pulmonary rehab. According to Patty, “Pulmonary rehab
twice a week makes a big difference.” Although staying active benefits some
people, it is not for everyone. Check out PHA’s website and talk to your doctor
to learn more about PH and exercise.
7) Enjoy the benefits of parks and recreation.
Chances are
you have a park somewhere near you! Parks and recreation benefits the community
by promoting health and wellness. America has celebrated July as “July is Parks and Recreation Month” since 1985. “July is Parks and Recreation Month” provides
the opportunity to bring awareness to and spread the message about how
important parks and recreation are. The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) offers a wide range of programs
and services.
Parks and recreation is for everyone,
including you! Parks and recreation departments are going above and beyond to
make events and activities accessible to everyone. Measures are taken to make
sure your diagnosis does not stop you from enjoying the benefits of parks and
recreation. Aside from making facilities accessible to everyone, recreation
opportunities are available for people of all
abilities. Not all parks and activities are active. Passive activities include exposure to natural surroundings, museums,
environmental education programs and much more. Many communities have passive parks or plans
to develop them in the near future. Passive parks provide the opportunity for activities
such as relaxation, sightseeing, picnicking, etc. Many passive parks include
art, sculptures, flowers and other things to ensure a beautiful environment. There are tons of events and activities taking
place this month in honor of parks and recreation month.
8) Take the time to laugh.
Laughing is one of the most important things you can do. Make sure to laugh at yourself when you need to! On the topic of laughter, July is National Tickle Month. Who knew that tickling is an important part of staying well? Check out these fun facts about tickling .
Sometimes,
it’s the little things in life that bring us our greatest joy. When things get tough, remember to enjoy the
little things that life brings us. Beautifully put:
By Laura Johns, Patient & Caregiver Services Intern
