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Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Self-Management Skills

Coping Strategies and Stress Reduction

Coping strategies and stress reduction techniques may be individualized, but there are some common themes. One theme includes finding more information about the person's own chronic illness(es). The patient should know what resources are available. Educate not only the patient, but also his/her family and/or significant person about the chronic illness. Family and friends provide ongoing support important to success in managing a chronic illness. This support may be emotional, physical, spiritual, financial, and so on.

Another theme is the use of stress management techniques. There are many ways to manage stress, but a person must be willing to learn the selected technique well enough to use regularly. Stress reduction techniques include muscle relaxation, guided imagery, distraction, meditation, writing a journal, and biofeedback. Muscle relaxation, guided imagery, distraction, and meditation are techniques that a person can teach him/herself and are also taught as part of a self-help course ( Braden, 1991; Craze, 1998; Lorig, et al., 2000).

Biofeedback involves equipment that measures heart rate and muscle tension. Some insurance plans will pay for biofeedback equipment when it is ordered by a physician. Other stress management techniques involve talking with a trusted friend, joining a support group or self-help course, or talking with a professional such as a social worker, psychologist, or counselor.