What Is a Chronic Illness?

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The phrase “Don’t make illness your identity” is controversial in the chronic illness community.

Illness impacts many aspects of our identity, but how we relate to it affects how we manage the challenges.

Four types of illness identity are: engulfment, rejection, acceptance, and enrichment.

The best outcomes are associated with acceptance and enrichment.

The phrases “Don’t make illness your identity” and “Don’t let illness define you” are controversial in the chronic illness community, and for good reason. On one hand, the phrases are often said by individuals who have no concept of what it’s like to live with illness every day—something that undoubtedly impacts your identity. On the other hand, we know it’s important to continue to foster all parts of our identity, even when illness takes up too much of our energy.

Another key tension with this phrase is that the acceptance of illness—which often requires a change in identity—is........

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