What is faith?
Faith is the belief in something one cannot explicitly prove. It’s the belief in a higher power, the belief in an eternal, omniscient and an omnipotent god. Most of us believe in some kind of power whether it’s the mother nature or power beyond our understanding. We know there is something greater than us.
Suffering
Every one of us sooner or later walks through hell. The hell of hurting someone or the hell of being hurt. The hell of cancer, the hell of divorce, the hell of a loved one in trouble, the hell of addiction or the hell of grief. The point is to make your life worthy of your suffering. I believe there is profound power in the suffering we endure if we transform it into a more meaningful life. I am not glorifying or suggesting that the lessons we learn from pain are somehow worth the cost. But the truth is that most often for most people, real change is the result of real pain.
For me, my suffering is fibromyalgia, depression and as if these two weren’t enough to add pregnancy and hyperemesis brought me to my knees. You see, you can never understand the pain until you live through it yourself. With fibromyalgia and depression, I have good days and I have bad days, but I can manage and function to some extent. Now, my house is like a mini-clinic where nurses visit regularly. It’s a difficult time for my family, especially my kids. They miss their happy, active, funny, chief and mother. My husband is my hero, I don’t know how he’s doing it all. Without my faith, I don’t know who I would be or what I would do.
My belief
I believe that there is one and only God. I believe in angels, in predestination, in the judgment day, in the holy books and the messengers of God. This has always been my belief. My faith is what is helping me manage and appreciate life even in sickness. Now let me tell you that it has not been easy for me, I was angry for a while. “why me”?, why is my God allowing this to happen?, these are the question I often ask myself. I could stay angry at my creator and reject him or I could accept that this is a test of my faith. With the first option, it’s not like I am going to get the answer to my questions by staying angry. Moreover, it will create a list of complex questions that I will have no answer for. However, if I accept it, I not only find humidity in my suffering but I also find peace in getting closer to my creator.
Healing
My experience with pain helps me understand and appreciate life. Life owes us nothing and it’s with his grace that we can breathe and do anything. When in need, he sends people that would be of help your way, people you may know and people you may not know. He has his way of doing things that just when you’re ready to give up, or when you think there is no way out, he shows you the way out or gives you hope. But you have to believe in him and trust that he knows what he’s doing. I am not saying that everything becomes easier because you have faith, or that because you have faith bad things will not happen to you, but he gives you the strength to survive every single one of your suffering. Think about it, how much pain and suffering can a human heart endure before it gives up? Not much.
Are there days I cry? Sure! Are there moments I wish everything was fine and I am not sick? Definitely! But I know just like everything in life, there is a start and an end, I believe in his plan for me even if I cannot foresee it.
To the one going through the hell of anything, know that you’re not forgotten, that your suffering has an ending. Take it one day at a time and practice gratitude every day, stay positive and never lose hope.
What do you believe in? How do you cope with pain and suffering? How does your belief shape your life?
What is mental illness definition?
A mental illness, according to APA, is a health condition involving changes in emotion, thinking, behavior or a combination of all these. It is associated with distress or problem functioning in society, work or family activities. And just like the phrase “physical illness” encompasses many different types of physical problems, mental illness might describe a vast array of mental illness issues. And remember, having a mental illness does not mean someone is crazy as many of us think. It means that there are changes in chemical production, either too much or too little, in the brain. But what causes these chemical imbalances? What causes mental illness?
Raina with a chronic illness is pleased to introduce her guest, Elizabeth Holly, from chronic wonderer. 
Elizabeth Holly is a Women’s Fiction writer and blogger with a BA in English & Creative Writing. She writes about chronic and mental illness, self-care and loves talking about books. Check out her blog, A Chronic Wanderer where Elizabeth shares her journey as a writer living with chronic and mental illness and encourages others to create and thrive despite their illnesses. You can find her on her blog at www.elizabethholly.com, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Depression
Mental illness
Mental illness is a general term used to describe a group of illnesses that may impact individual thoughts, perceptions, and behavior. It can affect a person’s professional and personal relationships. Mental illness can be treated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or medications, sometimes doctors use a combination of both. There are different types of mental health issues.
Types of mental health issues
Anxiety disorders
Anxiety disorder is a group of mental health disorders…
Mental illness
Mental health statistics estimated that one in five adults in the U.S. lives with mental illness. Mental illness is categorized into a broad category, ranging from mild to severe, any mental illness (AMI) and serious mental illness (SMI). AMI encompasses all recognized mental illnesses, SMI is a small yet severe subset of AMI. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, AMI and SMI are defined as follow:
Rainawithchronicillness is pleased to have a special guest blogger, Malinda, author, and creator of Mohr From Life– Plugin Editora blog dedicated to mental health and self-improvement. She is going to take us on her personal journey of the aftermath of an anxiety attack. Imagine what her life is like living with anxiety and having to deal with the aftermath.
Anxiety episode
If you haven’t experienced an anxiety attack (also known as a panic attack), then you might not realize how it affects people. The aftermath of an anxiety attack can be deliberating. Let me share a personal story with you.
I woke up tremendously excited for the day ahead. In a few hours, my family and I would drive to the airport and fly to Queensland. Later that day I would see Taylor Swift perform at the Gabba. However, my excitement quickly turned to extreme dread and a panic attack.
My 16-year-old brother decided he wasn’t going to come on our holiday. He refused to get out of bed and get ready. Firstly, Dad and I both tried to change his mind; I begged and… pleaded with my little brother. As a result, I started to cry uncontrollably as my anxiety went through the roof.
