Living with a chronic health condition can take a toll on our bodies mentally and physically. It can cause us to feel anxious and worry frequently. It can cause our muscles to tense and our digestion to be compromised. Some stress in our life is unavoidable and can even be beneficial to keep us motivated. But, what happens when the stress over a chronic health condition becomes it own health condition? We may begin to ruminate and follow a negative thought pattern that keeps us from feeling better. Knowing that you have some tools you can use in times of excessive worry can be helpful. For instance, challenge that anxious thought. Ask yourself if it is factual. If not, replace it with one that is. For example, if your thought is, I will never get better, ask yourself what evidence there is for that statement. Replace it with something more factual, such as my body doesn’t feel good right now. This can change the feeling from one of hopelessness to temporary discomfort. It can also change your actions from for example, endlessly researching your condition on the internet to moving your body in a way that allows the emotions to move. if physically able, you could take a walk outside or get out of your physical space.