What is Chronic Illness?

Chronic Illness (Chronic Disease) is defined as an illness that lasts for more than three months. When battling a chronic illness, you face pain and exhaustion mixed with the possibility of not being able to continue with your daily functions. You may not be able to work which leads to financial and emotional stress and anxiety. Children facing a chronic illness are likely to not understand their condition and not understand the implications.

Chronic Illness encompasses a large variety of disorders, including:

• AIDS


• Allergies/Asthma


• Alzheimer's Disease


• Cancer


• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome


• COPD


• Crohn's Disease


• Epilepsy


• Fibromyalgia


• GERD (acid reflux)


• Heart Disease


• Migraines


• Irritable Bowel Syndrome


• Lupus


• Lyme Disease


• Parkinson Disease


• And many others.

There are many online resources for every chronic illness you can imagine. Some are specialized and some are very general. A few really good places to go for more information are as follows:

Healing Well - Offers Community, Information and Resources on Diseases, Disorders and Chronic Illness.

WebMD - Offers signs, symptoms and support for those with Chronic Illness.

Transcending Chronic Illness - A great site that provides ideas and strategies to help you live within your physical limitations.

Children and Chronic Illness - Helping children learn to cope with their diagnosis.

The Cleveland Clinic - General information on dealing with Chronic Illness. Specific information for different diseases and disorders.