Pic: Shelby Deeter/Unsplash 

When we look closer into the lives of people on dialysis, it not only affects them but also those who love and care for them. Thus it becomes important to understand how your family and friends are also feeling about you, and how can you together nurture a healthy relationship with this procedure in background.

Pic: Milada Vigerova/Unsplash

Effects of dialysis on inter-personal relations: Let us look into the feelings of both, dialysis patients and their caregivers:-
From the Eyes of The one on dialysis&nbsp;
&ldquo;My partner has to do so much for me to ensure my well-being. I feel guilty for that.&rdquo;&nbsp;
&ldquo;Dialysis has taken over my life and I don&rsquo;t like myself and I&rsquo;m sure nobody else does.&rdquo;
Feelings of Inadequacy and Guilt
After a while in treatment, the patient of dialysis might start feeling like they are at fault for causing trouble to their caretakers, when that is not the case. Our loved ones would care for us even in the darkest of times!

Pic: Unsplash/ Joseph Chan

Physical Issues
The weakness in one&rsquo;s body and regular dialysis appointments might be challenging to go through, causing problems in career or social life. Although once one eases into treatment and starts counselling, it gets a lot easier!
Mental Health Issues
Many patients with a chronic disease socially withdraw themselves because of the sudden shock and limitations set on their lives. They can be prone to depression or anxiety, however, this can be managed well with psychological support.

Pic: Unsplash/ Priscilla Du Preez

From the Eyes of The Caregiver: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s really hard to see my best friend weaker than he used to be&rdquo;
&ldquo;I wish I could do more for my wife, it&rsquo;s hard to see her feel exhausted after dialysis sessions&rdquo;.
1.Witnessing the journey&nbsp;
Seeing your healthy friend or family member get sick and require dialysis is definitely scary. Caregivers might feel helpless when this happens and has to deal with the possibilities that come with the disease.&nbsp;
2.Suppressing true emotions
Even if the caregiver is feeling sad or scared, they feel like they should put on a happy face in front of the dialysis patient to keep them happy. By storing all of those negative emotions, they might come out during unrelated scenarios.&nbsp;
3.Anger and Frustration&nbsp; In the circumstances of declining health, there is usually nobody to blame or be angry at. The caregivers might even feel mad at the patient or at the circumstances with no way to channel their emotions.

Gif: Gifer

1.Communication - Talk to one another! Not putting your emotions into words or expressing them is not the best solution. Find the right space and timing to have a heart-to-heart dialogue and resolve your individual issues together!&nbsp;
2.Honesty -&nbsp;Be honest with yourself and others. It is important to not keep your emotions hidden. Let them out, it is completely okay! Try to understand what the other person feels.&nbsp;
3.Mutual Support -&nbsp;While the patient needs more support, the caregiver cannot go neglected. It is important that even the patient&rsquo;s close ones express their feelings while the patient can reassure them. For example:- Caregiver &ndash; &ldquo;I feel like you close yourself to me and don&rsquo;t share much with me anymore. I would like you to trust me and open yourself up because I care about you&rdquo; Patient &ndash; &ldquo;Yeah, I just don&rsquo;t feel like burdening you with my problems but sure, I will share things with you because I feel like I&rsquo;d be heard by you&rdquo;.
4.Widen your horizons of life -&nbsp;A dialysis patient is not just a patient, there are so many more identities to live up to! Go grow in your career, take up hobbies, meet your friends or face-time them and widen your horizons!&nbsp;
5.Mental Health Care - Whether you are a patient or a caregiver, it is important to know the healthy ways to channel your emotions and deal with this situation. You can head over to the &ldquo;Book an Appointment&rdquo; section on the Lissun App to find a therapist for your needs!

Tips To Cope 

The Bright Side&nbsp;
Dialysis shouldn&rsquo;t be seen as entirely negative, because it is not. Interpersonal relationships can be strengthened through unconditional support! The appreciation towards life and finding people to share it with is beautiful. This is your opportunity to inspire everyone by saying we overcame the greatest obstacle together!

Let's address an important aspect of dialysis- How it affects your close relationships and tips to cope with it.

Love & Understanding: You & Your Caregiver

love-and-understanding-you-and-your-caregiver