Glaucoma y su bienestar emocional

Si padece de glaucoma, es posible que esté experimentando problemas emocionales además del impacto de glaucoma en su visión.

Emotions are a normal and healthy part of the human experience. Living with a chronic disease like glaucoma can make you feel a range of emotions, including pain and loss. This may be due to an actual loss, such as loss of vision, or a potential loss, such as the loss of what you thought his life was going to be. Or, if you are anticipating vision loss, you may be experiencing some of those emotions leading up to that loss. If you are experiencing multiple losses at the same time, that can become what is called complex grief. Therefore, if you have lost a loved one right around the time you were diagnosed with glaucoma, you may experience different emotions related to both losses that can sometimes be contradictory.

Depression, fear, worry, stress and anxiety are also common emotions when dealing with glaucoma. If depression and anxiety are debilitating, it is important to talk to your doctor and tell him or her if you should seek help. There may also be feelings of shame, even guilt, that is, the feeling that one has brought it on oneself. There may also be guilt associated. But, like everyone else, you will also experience joyful emotions. Just because you live with glaucoma doesn’t mean you can’t experience hope, joy, satisfaction, and gratitude.

Caregivers also often experience a unique type of stress and sometimes depression. It has been shown that between 40% and 70% of caregivers suffer from depression. So, if you are a caregiver experiencing these types of emotions, and if you haven’t talked to someone about it yet, this is a reminder to address your own emotional needs so you can continue to support others.

There are many ways to manage your emotional well-being. Pay attention to what helps you feel less stressed. There are many things in our culture, social pressures, advertisements, social media, that may not really be helpful for you, your life, and your situation. It’s important to pay attention to what helps you feel less stressed and gives you a sense of peace and calm. Set boundaries to avoid toxic people in your life who constantly cause you stress.

Daily self-care, moderate exercise, restful sleep, and healthy meals are also important. Seek support and take charge of your life whenever you can. Being an advocate for your own health, asking your doctor questions, and getting involved in your treatment will help you feel more in control of your diagnosis.

—

Article by Allison Fine, MSW, LICSW.