How to support someone with Endometriosis/Chronic Illnesses
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Supporting someone with Endometriosis involves understanding their condition, offering emotional support and assisting with practical needs.
Here are some ways you can extend some help that will truly make an impact to someone's life:
1. Educate yourself
- Learn about endometriosis: Understand the symptoms, treatments, and challenges. This helps you empathise and provide informed support.
- Stay updated: Keep abreast of new research and treatment options.
2. Be a good listener
- Listen actively: Sometimes, they just need someone to listen. Be patient and provide a non-judgmental ear.
- Validate their feelings: Acknowledge their pain and emotions. Let them know it's okay to feel frustrated or sad.
3. Offer practical help
- Assist with daily tasks: Help with household chores (changing/making a bed feels like you are running a mile for someone with a chronic illness), cooking or errands, especially during flare-ups.
- Accompany to appointments: Offer to go with them to doctor visits for support and to help remember medical advice.
4. Provide emotional support
- Be understanding: Recognise that chronic pain can affect mood and energy levels.
- Encourage self-care: Remind them to take time for themselves and engage in activities that promote well-being - massages, facials, light walks etc.
- Go over and see them:Â The best form of support for someone going through a dark time is having people around them. Simply just by going over and visiting them for a coffee, hanging out on the couch to watch a movie, literally anything to be with them will make them feel so special and supported.Â
- An invitation goes a long way: Even if you know they are not well, struggling physically with pain, just by still extending an invitation to whatever the plan is will make them feel included and truly lift their spirits to know they are still thought of.
5. RESPECTFULLY Encourage healthy lifestyle choices
There is nothing worse than someone insinuating that you have caused your Endometriosis from the foods you eat or the drinks you consume. So if you are going to promote food or exercise please be mindful in the way you say it. As an example, there is numerous of social media accounts online that can promote "curing" Endometriosis by eating healthy. Although this can minimise symptoms, there is no actual cure.Â
- Promote a balanced diet: Help them choose anti-inflammatory foods that may help manage symptoms.
- Suggest gentle exercise: Activities like light walking, yoga or swimming can be beneficial.
6. Help manage pain/flare up days
- Offer comfort items: Offering to heat up their heat packs, grab them a comfortable blanket or putting on some essential oils to try and relax them.
- Support Alternative Therapies: Encourage them to try acupuncture, massage, or other therapies if they are interested.
7. Respect their limits
- Understand their boundaries: Recognise that they might need to cancel plans or rest more frequently.
- Be patient: Chronic pain can be unpredictable, and they might not always feel up to socialising or participating in activities.
8. Stay positive
- Offer encouragement: Provide positive reinforcement and remind them of how strong and resilient they are.
- Celebrate small victories: Acknowledge progress, no matter how small.
9. Get involved
- Join support groups: Accompany them to support group meetings if they feel comfortable.
- Advocate together: Participate in Endometriosis awareness events and advocacy.
- Attend appointments: Offer to take them to appointments, scans or even dropping them off to the hospital on surgery days.
10. Be consistent
- Regular check-ins: Consistently check on them to show you care and are available for support. Sending a text message will take 30 seconds out of your day but it'll make their entire week just from feeling supported. You'd be surprised how the "little things" end up being the "big things" to someone with a chronic illness.Â
- Long-term commitment: Understand that Endometriosis is a chronic condition and long-term support is valuable.
Supporting someone with Endometriosis requires empathy, patience and understanding. By educating yourself, offering emotional/practical support, and encouraging healthy lifestyle choices, you can make a significant positive impact on their quality of life. Remember, your support can make a world of difference.
PLEASE NOTE: The Endo Essentials company takes no responsibility for your diagnosis, tailoring your treatment/plan, we do not claim to be doctors and strongly recommend seeking medical advice from a Health Physician to treat your symptoms. We write these blogs purely based on the evidence provided at the current time and try our best to keep these blogs as up to date as possible.Â