Top 3 Challenges of Long Term Disease Management.

{Collaborative Content} Being diagnosed with a difficult medical condition can be the start of many more challenges. Apart from the physical aspects, there are mental, emotional, and a long list of ripple effects. Statistics indicate that 15 million people in the country live with long-term health conditions. The numbers show the enormous pressure these individuals take on daily. Below are some challenges they experience when managing these long-term diseases.

1. Finding means to lower healthcare costs

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Long-term illnesses are expensive to treat. The contributing factors are usually medications, specialised care, regular medical appointments, and drastic lifestyle changes. What makes treatment even more expensive is the unavailability of generic medications. Generic medications are usually available and easy to purchase from the pharmacy with a signed prescription. In some situations, however, certain long-term medical conditions require specific medications that are still on trial.

This means agreeing to be part of the drug testing process to manage a long-term condition. Once again, these things often do not come cheap. The added pressure of footing these medical bills intensifies the already trying situation. It explains why many people with long-term illnesses resort to different means to lower healthcare costs. Some may opt for complementary and alternative medicines, which are usually cheaper. It is also not surprising that some people have health insurance that does not provide ample coverage for treatment. Indeed, these challenges can become difficult to manoeuvre without financial support. Thankfully, some treatment centres rely on public funding to alleviate patient pressure. Check here for more information on this.

2. Physical limitations

This is expected in the management of such diseases. These health conditions often take a toll on the body, limiting your daily activities. Sometimes also, the limitations are caused by the side effects of specific medications. These physical limitations can be categorised under minor and major restrictions. The former may last a few hours after consuming certain medications. On the contrary, major limitations may last for years, and the only solution is to learn to cope with the changes.

For example, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy is a chronic brain disorder that affects mobility and eye functions. However, certain treatment options can rapidly bring on lasting memory loss. Another challenge is the impact on daily life, which causes people to withdraw from society. The pressure of learning to live with these limitations and adopting coping mechanisms becomes challenging.

3. Emotional challenges

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Physical limitations in people with long-term diseases can give rise to doubts about their abilities. Questions and uncertainties about long-term diseases take a major toll on emotional health. If left unmanaged, it can quickly spiral into a mental health problem. This is why data has shown that those living with chronic illnesses have a 25% to 33% higher risk of sinking into a depressive state.

Feelings of fear, denial, anger, and giving up are common emotions they face at this stage. Unfortunately, many people don’t seek help and sink deeper into depression. The challenge can only be overcome with specialist mental health interventions. Thankfully, there is a wide range of support services in the UK for people with long-term health conditions.