One struggle that many fibromyalgia patients face (on top of dealing with symptoms) is the strain that the debilitating condition places on relationships. It can be difficult to maintain friendships that predated your condition. Some people are just not understanding of those with chronic illness. So does that mean you are doomed to loneliness? Absolutely not!

Maintaining Friendships with Fibromyalgia

Here are a few tips for maintaining friendships while dealing with a chronic illness:

• Be up front about your illness – Let your friends know that you won’t always be available and that it can be daunting to make plans too far in advance not knowing if you will be able to keep them.
• Don’t just talk about your condition – You need to let your friends know what is going on, but for lengthy chats about how you feel, doctors’ appointments, and other things that may leave a friend feeling helpless or lost for words, you may want to save it for your closest friend or someone who understands you well (like a friend with a chronic ailment).
• Host lunch at your place – Don’t feel up to getting dressed and meeting your friends at a restaurant? Have someone call in an order for delivery or pickup, and do lunch at your place. Make sure the restaurant provides utensils, so there is no cleanup.
• Get social online – Set up a group chat on Facebook, Instagram, or via text. It’s a great opportunity to show that you want to stay connected, even if you can’t hang out with the group as often as you once did. Everyone loves a friend who makes them laugh, so don’t forget to share amusing things you find that your friends will like.

Getting Help for Fibromyalgia and Other Chronic Conditions

To maximize your ability to spend time with friends and even feel up to doing things like tidying up the house before company comes over, it is important to take every action you can to cope with your chronic ailment. One way to do that is through upper cervical chiropractic adjustments. These gentle and precise adjustments are long-lasting and give the body the time it needs to heal from problems that are caused by an atlas (C1) subluxation. To learn if this is a viable form of care for you, contact a local practitioner to schedule a consultation.

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