Mourning the Loss of a Healthy Body

The useful part

By Li-elle Rapaport Body changes can raise disturbing feelings, such as looking in a mirror and seeing a reflection that may feel spiritually empty, unproductive, ugly or weak. Recent global estimates suggest one in five people are currently experiencing chronic pain. The most prevalent chronic pain reported by adults ages 75 and over includes low back pain and migraine, while tension-type headaches are more often experienced by younger adults.

How it works

• Despite how common chronic illness is worldwide, the nuances of navigating a changing body are not often discussed.
• It's time for an honest, evidence-based conversation about what it means to navigate chronic pain and illness, aging and transforming identity post-diagnosis, and how to grieve this loss and maintain...
• Chronic illness (diabetes, heart disease and other mid-to-late-life diagnoses) affects about three-quarters of the world population.

What to take from it

This is the disillusionment that most of the population will face at some point in life, through aging, chronic pain or invisible illness (a disease or health problem that cannot be externally seen, including autoimmune diseases, chronic pain and fatigue, and recently, long COVID).

Example or evidence

• Unpleasant sensations such as pain, pins and needles, soreness coursing through limbs and an inexplicable fog filling the head are a reminder that this body is not the same you anymore, prompting us to wish...

Details worth keeping

It may feel impossible to live well unless you do.