How Chronic Illness Can Affect Your Mental Health

I write about the mental and emotional toll of chronic illness from personal experience, having lived with type 1 diabetes for 28 years after being diagnosed at age seven.

Today, I’m in a much more positive place with my illness and mental health than I’ve ever been, but it was a journey to get here. For many years, my body felt less like a stable home and more like a traitor that turned on me. I’ve experienced burnout from relentless decision-making, severe anxiety about complications, traumatic experiences in the medical system, and delayed grief over losing a carefree relationship with my body; all of which contributed to depression.

In my twenties, I finally sought out therapy for my unprocessed emotions and traumatic experiences around diabetes. But of course, I still have tough days and unpredictable blood sugar swings. Managing blood sugar is a 24/7 job, and for me that constant vigilance creates a background level of stress that never fully switches off. It’s like some part of me always has to be on duty as a nurse, which can be exhausting.

One of the first emotional experiences many people have after a diagnosis is grief, according to the American Psychological Association. Even if your condition is “manageable,” it often changes how you live your life. You might have to give up certain routines, activities, or expectations for your future. And in a sense, you’re losing a version of yourself, the healthy body you previously had and the identity that went with it. That loss can be profound.

Something unique about the grief of chronic illness is that it’s not necessarily a one-time thing. This kind of grief can reappear in waves over time: when your condition flares, when you face new limitations, or when you realize something you hoped for may no longer be possible.

Chronic illness often requires relentless self-management: Taking medications, scheduling and attending appointments, navigating health insurance, tracking symptoms, making lifestyle adjustments. Over time, this ongoing stress can contribute to a sense of deep exhaustion, overwhelm, frustration, and anger.

With diabetes, this experience is often referred to as diabetes distress or diabetes burnout. But no matter what you call it or what illness you’re living with, feeling emotionally overloaded is an understandable response.

There’s a well-documented association between chronic illness and mood disorders. Some research has shown that people living with chronic disease experience significantly higher rates of depression and anxiety than the general population.

That’s not surprising, given that managing a chronic illness can be stressful, unpredictable, isolating, and expensive. Symptoms like pain, fatigue, and sleep disruption can also directly affect mood. Then there’s the emotional burden of constantly having to monitor your body, make health decisions, and live with uncertainty.

Another study found that people with chronic illness may experience various kinds of anxiety including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety, certain phobias, and health anxiety.

For some people, chronic illness may involve traumatic experiences in a medical setting known as medical trauma. Experiences of medical trauma can vary widely, according to the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM). A new diagnosis, painful procedure, surgery, or interaction with healthcare professionals could all be examples.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) also tends to be more common in people with chronic illness. One systematic review found that PTSD and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are common and substantially higher in people with chronic disease.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to coping with chronic illness, but a few strategies may help support your mental health. Above all, remember that taking care of your mental health is not separate from taking care of your physical health: it’s an essential part of it.

• Seek mental health care. Therapy, especially with a clinician familiar with chronic illness, may help you process grief, trauma, and ongoing stress, as well as treat any co-occurring depression or anxiety.
• Build a support system. Whether it’s friends, family, or online communities, connecting with people who understand can reduce isolation.
• Practice self-compassion. Your body is dealing with a lot. You deserve kindness from yourself.

For me personally, improving my relationship to diabetes and finding my path to mental wellbeing involved a combination of things, including:

• Trauma-informed somatic therapy
• Support from the type 1 diabetes community
• Mindfulness, meditation, and spirituality
• Finding the gifts and lessons in my diabetes
• Sharing more openly with friends and family about my experience
• Supporting other people with diabetes as a coach

Diabetes is not something I ever would’ve asked for. Yet it has taught me priceless lessons about self-compassion, resilience, acceptance, attuning to my own body, taking care of myself, and the inextricable connection between mental and physical health.

This article reflects personal experiences and general information. It is not intended as medical advice or a substitute for professional care. If you need additional support, consider reaching out to a licensed mental health professional.