Nice comment, but one nit: I think awareness + acceptance + gratitude is a better path than ignoring an illness. I say this as someone that has a lot of deeply ingrained avoidance behaviors (e.g. smoking weed 24/7 to mask anxiety and pain, isolating myself to avoid social anxiety). Obviously, ignoring problems can often make them worse, and sometimes simple solutions do exist (e.g. I have had disabling IBS off and on for 20+ years that is improved significantly by avoiding alcohol and taking fiber). That said, everyone needs relief at times, so be kind to yourself about avoidance patterns.

Awareness is simply noticing how I feel without judgment or reaction, but with the attitude of a curious observer. So instead of A: (feel pain —> “I’m fucked up / disabled” narrative) or B: (feel pain —> <ignore> —> <subconscious avoidance behaviors>), it’s like C: (feel pain —> “this is a sensation I’m experiencing” —> <no action>). Needless to say, this is not an easy thing to do and takes practice.

Acceptance to me means not defining myself or my self-worth in terms of my illness(es), or comparing myself to others. However, it does not mean accepting defeat or relinquishing hope that things can improve.

Gratitude looks like being aware of and thankful for the wide world of things that you can do and experience, the people that love you (even if you can’t think of any, they’re out there), and remembering the “fact” that being a conscious creature in this strange and beautiful universe is an infinitely valuable gift.