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Chronic Illness Q&A with Dr. B.

larryB&W@300This question & answer column is for people living with chronic health challenges and their family caregivers, who want to learn to increase the odds of improving their health by learning to live with mastery & wellbeing.

I invite you to post your questions in the comments box below. When I get a certain number of related questions, I pick one that covers them all and I answer that one.

I post to this blog three times per week. Monday posts are relevant published articles. Wednesday posts are interviews—mostly video. Friday posts consist of questions about living better with chronic health challenges, and my answers to them.

Here is today’s question:

QUESTION:  You recommend practicing gratitude everyday.  Isn’t that a bit artificial?

ANSWER:   Yes, it is artificial.  However, if left to our own devices, most of us would continue to cause ourselves unnecessary emotional distress and physiological stress by continuing to put our attention on what’s wrong, rather than on what’s right.  When we consciously practice appreciating what’s working, we live with reduced stress and greater joy and well-being. For that reason, I recommend consciously looking for things to appreciate.  Happiness scientists like Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, Dr. Ed Diener, and Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky have found that practices like that can help all of us live happier lives.

This website is offered as a free public service, supplying information that has been found helpful to certain people living with chronic health challenges. No treatment is offered on this website. The advice is general, and may or may not apply to your individual situation, and is not a substitute for psychotherapy or medical treatment.

What questions do you have about how to live better with chronic health challenges that are related to the relationship between states of mind and health? 

Just scroll down and type your question in the comment box. I will post a reply to your comment, but your question may not appear in this column. 

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