Discovery
This stage of having a chronic health condition starts when you realize something is wrong with your health and it isn't getting better. You may even hear the words, "you have ______." Although the initial diagnosis may not be correct and it may change more than once, at least you know it is not all in your head!
Discovering that something might be wrong and waiting for the results can be one of the most excruciating experiences for anyone (including family and friends). The issues and emotions that come up during this period can be confusing, painful, and nerve wracking.
The best way to deal with confusion is to first sort out all of the facts as you know them and all of the emotions so that you can then make decisions as calmly as possible.
Often, advocating for the care that you need during this time can be difficult. It is helpful to have concrete ways of thinking about these issues.
If you see an issue below that captures your situation, click on the tool that is suggested to think it through and find a next step.
Issues:
- You think something is wrong and you are ready to take the next step.
- You feel that people see you as "over-complaining" or "over-reacting" to your symptoms, but you know something is not right.
- You feel awful and you are struggling to keep up at work and be involved in family life.
- You are waiting for test results or appointments and this feels really difficult.
Try using the tools: 
or 
or the 
- You have just been diagnosed with a chronic illness or chronic health condition.
Try using 
to process the impact of this diagnosis and move forward.
