Have you ever been told, "It's all in your head"? Over 100 million Americans live with chronic disease and pain and for many, these conditions bring significant limitations of life activities. This can be especially frustrating and even humiliating for people who suffer from diseases that are difficult to diagnose and involve subtle combinations of physical and mental symptoms. Chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, Lyme disease, and many other diseases present elusive, irregular and debilitating combinations of symptoms. People with these conditions are often shuttled from one health care provider to another and told directly or indirectly that they have a mental or emotional problem.

People who take charge of their own health do the best in the face of chronic health challenges. Taking ownership includes learning as much as possible about your health issues, asking questions, building your own health care team, and participating directly in decisions about your health care. Mental health professionals with appropriate training in integrative health care can help you reframe your relationship to your health challenge and introduce you to mind-body approaches that will help you achieve your best possible wellness. In fact, mind-body practices, including meditation and transformation of beliefs, attitudes and awareness, can have an enormous positive effect on your management of symptoms, your immune system, and the course and severity of pain and disease.

Other critical practices include getting as much movement and exercise in your life as you can. Redirecting energy and attention to things that have meaning and purpose is powerfully healing and a proven help for chronic pain. Educate your friends, loved ones, and if necessary your employer about your health challenge. Support groups are available for almost every known health condition, and one's role in helping others is healing to both.

As best you can, walk away from people who make you feel guilty, treat your symptoms as if they are solely mental problems, or expect you to be relentlessly positive and cheerful in the face of your health issues. Grief, depression and fear are legitimate responses to chronic health challenges. Exercising your own powers and taking an integrated approach to your chronic health challenges will help you find better health and a better life.

Stephen Gajewski MS, JD, LPC, LLC provides individual and couples counseling, specializing in mind body health and medicine, mindfulness, stress management and reduction, career counseling and coaching, work-life balance, and adult ADHD. He also specializes in helping clients deal with issues surrounding chronic pain and disease. Contact him at (208) 640-3323 or www.sgajskillc.com.