Suggestions

Permission for Use

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Self-Management Skills

Coping Strategies and Stress Reduction

One coping theme is finding more information about the person's own chronic illness(es). Show the patient how to find what resources are available. Educate the patient and his/her family about the chronic illness.

A second coping theme is the use of stress management techniques. There are many ways to manage stress, but a person must learn the selected technique well enough to use it regularly. Stress management techniques include meditation, muscle relaxation, guided imagery, distraction, writing a journal, talking with a trusted friend, joining a support group or self-help course, talking with a professional such as a social worker, psychologist, or counselor, and biofeedback.

Biofeedback uses equipment that measures heart rate and muscle tension. Some insurance plans will pay for biofeedback equipment when it is ordered by a physician.

A third coping theme is identifying family and friends who can provide the ongoing support that is important to success in managing a chronic illness. This support may be emotional, physical, spiritual, financial, and so on.