An exciting time this is, living away from your family home for the first time, meeting new friends, having the chance to try out a new activity, even taking a class you really love! For the first time there are no parents to negotiate where you’re going and what time you should be home, to monitor whether you awaken in time to get to your first class, or to comment on the lack of leafy greens on your plate.
Perhaps in addition to all of these exciting challenges, you are one of the large numbers of students trying to manage a chronic illness such as Diabetes, Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis, or Crohn’s Disease, to name a few, without parental reminders or interventions. It is important to realize that there are many other college students with the same concerns that you might be having. You know how important it is to monitor your blood sugar level frequently, and follow a healthy regimen of diet and exercise; but you really don’t want to broadcast to your new friends that you have to leave for a few minutes to take your insulin injection, or that you’ll have to pass on the beer and nachos. Maybe you understand how important it is to keep your asthma under good control by using your inhalers as prescribed, but it seems like you barely get up in time to be out the door. Often you find yourself on the bus heading for Portland with your inhaler still back in your room.
Everyone is dealing with similar issues, but your health depends on problem-solving these dilemmas. The following might be helpful in doing just that:
1. Be kind and gentle with yourself rather than critical for not doing everything perfectly. Adjusting to college life is a huge transition and you’ll accomplish it successfully one step at a time.
2. Make a list of the things you must monitor and the decisions you must make every day, such as food choices, activity, remembering to take medications; plan out a strategy for tying to fit them all in.
3. Keep your sense of humor and laugh often; it’s a great stress reliever and immune booster.
4. Take time for yourself to regain emotional balance and stay centered by continuing the activities that that help you accomplish this. Whether it is a refreshing walk, time for prayer and meditation, practicing yoga, keeping a journal or listening to a favorite CD, it is important to your physical well-being to pay attention to your emotional well-being.
5. Take responsibility for your medical care. Yes, this goes along with those other exciting new challenges and freedoms you awaited for so long.
6. Reach out to others. Isolating yourself increases negative thoughts and makes one feel different from their peers. According to RemedyFind.com, a web-site that records individual’s evaluations of the effectiveness of various treatments for illness, the top rated remedy for three of the most prevalent chronic illnesses- Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, and Crohn’s Disease- was emotional support. The internet can be a great resource for providing information. Most chronic illness awareness organizations have web-sites which provide education, support, and links to related web-sites. Joining a support group on campus may help to connect you with others struggling with many of the same issues, providing ideas for solving problems as well as social contact with people who really understand exactly what you’re dealing with.
For information re: support groups for students with chronic illness at USM contact:
[email protected]; [email protected]; or [email protected] or call 780-5168
Sources:
www.LifeChallenges.com author Tom Robinson
www.hippocrates.com author Jan Greene, Can Support Groups Heal?
Marianne Russo can be contacted at [email protected]