Support: A Necessity for Patients Coping with Lupus

No matter what type of illness a person has, support definitely plays a significant role when it comes to a person’s healing process. In fact, a recent study about family support pointed out that when a family member provides support to a patient, the recuperation process could significantly improve. Additionally, a study of social and emotional support states that social isolation is considered as a major health risk for people who have chronic illnesses.

Lupus is one of the illnesses that needs constant care and attention from family members, friends, medical specialists, and support teams since the consequences of this autoimmune disease could be devastating in the long run. Recently, the Lupus Foundation of Pennsylvania conducted an empowerment symposium where people discussed ways for lupus patients to receive support. The goal of the seminar is to identify methods of support that could help alleviate the stress that this disease brings.  

The Benefits of Family Support

While physicians can directly answer any queries with expertise, this doesn’t mean that they are able to provide support all throughout the day. Unless a person has his or her own personal nurse to attend to their daily needs, one could never get the full support of a physician since their time is only allocated during the consultation process. Although they are the ones who provide treatment plans for patients, they are not responsible for providing the main support that every patient needs. A recent report even stated that the average time that a physician spends on a patient only lasts up to 13-16 minutes. This time-frame is already enough to ask questions and get an expert opinion; however, the emotional factor that a patient feels is diverted towards a different source.

The most effective social group that they could rely on is their family. However, this is only effective if the family is accepting and supportive. Typically, a person with a chronic illness such as lupus highly depends on his loved ones for support. A family’s support could be expressed in several ways. The simple acts of driving to the clinic, cooking meals, preparing medication, and running errands are already a form of support. A family member could also be an excellent listener. During times when a patient feels down, their family could listen to their worries to relieve them of their anxiety.

The outcomes of family support are indeed favorable. It’s evident from a lot of past medical cases wherein people with chronic illnesses found comfort from their family’s presence, thus leading to their recovery and relief. Here are other positive effects of family support:

• Improves overall joint function for patients with arthritis
• Lessens the likelihood of a patient having a heart attack
• Decreases depressive ideations
• Increases a patient’s self-worth
• Diminishes anxiety and stress

These are just some of the most recent findings on family support. Without a doubt, building a strong bond with family members will not only help a patient recuperate medically, but he or she can also begin healing emotionally.