The daily and long-term management of a tick-borne disease can be overwhelming—physically, emotionally, and mentally. As a supporter, you may not be able to cure a disease or make symptoms disappear, but you can help a patient cope.
Here are actionable ways that you can be supportive and help a loved one cope with their illness:
Supporters can help patients cope by empowering them. Empowered patients feel more in control of their experience with Lyme and better equipped to manage symptoms. You might empower a patient by listening to their experiences without judgment. Listening to how your loved one copes can empower them while also giving you a new perspective on how to be supportive.
Other ways to help a patient cope may include:
Educating yourself on their diagnosis.
Helping them with tasks.
Being mindful of their feelings and changing conditions.
Taking care not to stigmatize what they’re going through and what they need to cope, including any physical and mental health treatments.
Simply sending them a thoughtful and caring message to check in.
Supporters can also help patients cope by helping them feel less alone. Feeling isolated is common for Lyme patients, and you can help to counteract this sentiment. Perhaps there are coping practices that you can work on together—if your loved one agrees—such as pacing, breathing exercises, meditation, or self-care. If your loved one is looking for a social opportunity, perhaps you can be the one to invite them to a fun event. Extending the invitation, even if declined for the management or health and energy, might make all the difference.
Lastly, remember that if all a patient can do right now is cope, that is okay. Lyme and other tick-borne diseases can affect every part of a patient’s life. Coping with constant physical, mental, and emotional symptoms—and the vulnerability and frustration that can accompany them—is not easy. Your patience, respect, and reassurance can go a long way. Remind your loved one that they are doing great, that you are proud of them, and that you are around to help them along the way.
It will also help if you can work on your own coping skills during this difficult time—because Lyme disease challenges even the most loving and resilient people. This can include:
Seeking support through community (Come to a Meet-Up!)
Having a creative outlet.
Learning the differences between genuinely helping and overstepping.
Improving communication.
Finding joy in the small things.
Accepting your loved one no matter what.
Understanding that healing is not linear and that even though your loved and your shared conditions are different now, they’re still worthy—and so are you.
To meet other Lyme supporters and to discuss coping, please join us for our monthly Meet-Ups for Parents and Supporters. Tap the link below to find the right Meet-Up for you!