with a range of services that keep them healthy,
independent and connected.
live at home, but they
need more help than ever.
have educated people by letting them
know that just because someone looks
or acts differently, it does not mean they
should be treated differently. To help
reduce my stress and anxiety, I could
have been more mindful by engaging in
meditation or yoga practices. Instead of
engaging in catharsis, I could have ver-
bally expressed my feelings and emotions
to my parents. Emotional disclosure is
often associated with better moods, more
positive self-perception and better health.
Knowing how to cope with stress is an
important part of reducing that stress.
perseverance. I have encountered many
twists and turns, ups and downs, and
bumps along the road but I was strong
enough to overcome them. I now know
that I can push through any obstacle with
a positive attitude. I am older and wiser
and know how to use effective coping
strategies to decrease my stress and anx-
iety. I have learned to embrace my condi-
tion, and not to care how others perceive
me. I am confident in how I look and how
I act. Graves' Disease has molded me into
who I am today. As much as the disease
has brought me down, it has also built me
up. I am a stronger person because of this
condition. Some may say that having a
condition like mine is a burden on life but,
in fact, I feel the opposite. I believe that
my having Graves' Disease and learning
how to cope with its stress continues to
be a blessing. I share my story to encour-
age others who are battling a disease or
condition to take one step at a time and
try to pull something positive from it. We
can't always control the variables in our
lives, but we can control how we react to
them.
condition to take one step at a time