Chronic Living Blog

Chronic: Lasts a long time.

Disease: Any negative deviation from normal function.

Chronic disease: A condition that lasts 3 months or longer and may worsen over time.

The opposite of chronic is acute, meaning immediate or sudden change.

The opposite of disease is wellness or health.

You may hear these terms in the doctor’s office or medical themed television, but are seldom explained.

People think of chronic disease as something only older people get. This is far from truth. Babies are born with defects. Kids develop illness. As we get older, we accumulate more issues as we age. The difference is how we adapt to those issues. Kids are very adaptable and view their disease as a part of their reality. They are capable of managing their symptoms so they can experience life, with some help of course.

Adults often have difficulty coping with a new diagnosis. It’s a change in their reality and the way things get done. So how do you cope? By learning as much as possible from their medical team, family, and internet resources like this one.