Denial or acceptance of one's illness :
Discovery phase of the illness

I didn’t realize the importance of accepting one’s illness until the day my father was diagnosed with a chronic illness. The mere discovery of this illness was a difficult ordeal for all of us. It came out of nowhere, and we didn’t really understand the causes or how to cope.

Denial of the illness

We found ourselves in a situation where the severity of the illness may have initially triggered denial of the illness. This widespread phenomenon occurs when the patient tries to psychologically protect themselves against a perceived danger or threat. Not accepting the presence of the illness is sometimes normal during the unexpected discovery of certain illnesses, especially chronic or serious ones, because the patient experiences significant psychological discomfort.

Acceptance of the Illness

The denial phase of the illness, however, must not last. Initially, while it is considered normal, its persistence constitutes a real problem that threatens the quality of life of patients.

It is well known in psychology that any problem can be resolved if its presence is first accepted. In other words, if we don’t recognize the presence of a concern or problem, it is certainly impossible to resolve it or even to think of a solution.

In the case of illnesses, it is essentially the fear of the unknown, of suffering, or of death that causes denial of the illness in the discovery phase. Subsequently, the person will have to accept the presence of their illness and try to adapt as best they can to their new state of health.

This acceptance can be difficult, and this is where loved ones must intervene to help the patient understand their illness, accept it, and adapt as best they can to avoid emotional shocks or health crises.

Practical tips for accepting your illness

There are several ways to help patients accept their illness by reducing the intensity of negative emotions and reactions:

– Explain to the patient that illnesses are very common and that they are not the only ones to suffer from them. Knowing that anyone could get sick is somewhat reassuring.

– Learn about the illness in question and try to help the patient understand the symptoms, causes, and treatment options in the gentlest way possible to avoid the patient being afraid of suffering.

– Speak with the doctor in charge and explain to the patient that the illness can be effectively managed by following certain instructions and taking their medication on time, for example.

– Try to maintain the routine and rituals of normal life for the patient so that they do not feel neglected or excluded.

– Maintain good communication with the patient and ask them to share all their feelings so that they do not feel alone.