Anxiety is a natural emotion that’s a reaction to environmental cues, most often to stress. Anxiety has features that are both psychological and physical. Anxiety can include fearful or intrusive thoughts, shortness of breath or stomach aches, among other symptoms. Whether it’s mild or severe, there are a lot of ways to help keep anxiety from taking over your life.

• Coping with Depression, Anxiety, and Anger
• Mindfulness for Stress and Anxiety

Depression is a common mood disorder that affects how you feel, think and act (or handle daily activities, such as working, eating and sleeping). Everyone experiences feelings of sadness, but when it lasts for more than two weeks and is accompanied by other symptoms, you may be suffering from clinical depression. There are lots of ways to treat depression, so find one that works best for you. You WILL feel better!

• Coping with Depression, Anxiety, and Anger
• Suffering in Silence No More
• Feeling desperate or in crisis? You are not alone! Reach out for help now: 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline (in the U.S.) or Worldwide Suicide Prevention Hotlines (outside the U.S.)

Anger is a natural emotion. It is common for people with chronic conditions to feel angry about their diagnosis and to feel a sense of loss of control. Sometimes there are unhealthy ways of dealing with anger, whether exploding with rage or keeping the anger bottled up inside. If you find yourself regularly taking your anger out on your loved ones or yourself, there are tools to help cope so anger doesn’t rule your life.

• Coping with Depression, Anxiety, and Anger

Grief is a natural response to loss. Coping with the loss of someone or something you love can be overwhelming and impact you emotionally, mentally, and physically. Grieving is an individual process, with no right or wrong way to grieve. Everyone experiences loss and grieves in their own way, on their own time. There are ways to help you cope with the loss of your loved one so that you don’t become stuck in the thoughts and feelings that prevent you from healing.

• Making Meaning of Grief: Personal Perspectives Panel
• Gone But Never Forgotten: A New Way to Think About Grief 

It is natural to feel afraid during and after a traumatic experience. Trauma can include anything from a surgery or series of medical problems, to a sudden loss of a friend or home, and the trauma leads to both an emotional and physiological reaction. When the symptoms of trauma last long after the actual event, it may be time to seek help.

Body image, self-image and self-esteem are all intertwined. It is not uncommon for individuals with chronic conditions to have a more negative body image and lower self-esteem. There are a variety of factors that affect how people may feel and perceive themselves, including age and stage of life, the severity of how the condition impacts them, the nature of the condition as visible or invisible, their relationships and support system, vulnerability to mental illness and general outlook on life. If you are among those whose body image and self-esteem are negatively impacted by your diagnosis, these resources may help.

• Beyond the Selfie: Body Image and Life with a Connective Tissue Condition
• Let’s Talk About YOU: Self-Care and Empowerment Strategies
• Does Marfan Syndrome Define You?

• Empowerment Through Finding Your Passion
• Relationships and Chronic Illness