The Dual Diagnosis Diaries: 💜 National Stress Awareness Week — When Stress Is More Than Just a Feeling

Because telling someone with a chronic illness to “just relax” is not the medical breakthrough you think it is. 🙄😂

November 2–6, 2026, marks National Stress Awareness Week, a time dedicated to recognizing how stress affects our mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

And considering the complicated relationship between stress and chronic illness, I figured this was the perfect opportunity to discuss something many of us know all too well.

Stress.

That six-letter word that somehow manages to create about sixty different problems.

Everybody experiences stress. Work, family, finances, relationships, responsibilities, and the everyday chaos of being an adult can be overwhelming.

But when you’re living with chronic illness, stress takes on an entirely different meaning.

Because sometimes the very thing you’re stressed about is the same thing making you feel worse.

And the thing making you feel worse?

Well, it’s stressing you out.

Welcome to the chronic illness stress cycle. Population: entirely too many of us. 🙄💜

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💜 Stress and Chronic Illness: A Complicated Relationship

Let’s clear something up.

Stress does not cause Crohn’s Disease or Myasthenia Gravis (MG). Both are immune-mediated conditions with complex underlying mechanisms.

However, stress can influence how we experience symptoms and manage these diseases.

When we’re stressed, our bodies activate a physiological response involving hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.

In short bursts, this response can be helpful. It prepares us to respond to challenges, emergencies, and perceived threats.

But when stress becomes persistent, it can disrupt sleep, digestion, concentration, mood, and overall well-being.

For someone already managing chronic illness, those additional challenges can make everyday life even more exhausting.

It’s like carrying luggage that’s already too heavy, only to have someone casually toss another suitcase onto the pile.

Except nobody asked if you had room for another bag.

And unlike an airline, chronic illness doesn’t even offer a baggage allowance.

💜 Crohn’s Disease: When Your Gut Has Opinions About Your Stress Level

Let’s start with my longtime roommate, Crohn’s Disease.

Crohn’s and I have been together since 2003, and let me tell you, this relationship has lasted longer than some marriages.

Unfortunately, we don’t always get along.

The connection between the brain and digestive system is known as the gut-brain axis. This communication network helps explain why emotional stress can influence gastrointestinal symptoms.

For people living with Crohn’s Disease, stress can contribute to abdominal discomfort, changes in bowel habits, and increased awareness of symptoms.

Research also suggests that psychological stress may be associated with increased disease activity in some individuals.

However, there’s an important distinction.

Feeling worse during a stressful period does not automatically mean intestinal inflammation has increased or that a Crohn’s flare is occurring.

Symptoms and inflammatory disease activity are not always the same thing.

And stress is not the sole cause of Crohn’s flares.

Now, with that educational clarification out of the way, let’s discuss how inconvenient this relationship can be.

Imagine having an important meeting, a family gathering, or plans you’ve been looking forward to, only for your digestive system to announce:

“Actually, we’ve decided you’re staying home today.”

No discussion.

No negotiation.

No opportunity to appeal.

Just an executive decision from your intestines.

And now you’re stressed because you’re experiencing symptoms, while those symptoms are making everything else more stressful.

See the problem?

💜 Myasthenia Gravis: When Stress Meets Muscle Fatigue

Now let’s invite my other roommate into the conversation.

Myasthenia Gravis.

Unlike Crohn’s, which primarily affects the gastrointestinal tract, MG disrupts communication between nerves and muscles, causing fluctuating muscle weakness.

And if there’s one thing MG doesn’t appreciate, it’s additional physical or emotional strain.

Stress can make living with MG more challenging, especially when accompanied by poor sleep, physical exhaustion, or illness.

Some individuals notice worsening fatigue or weakness during stressful periods.

However, stress-related exhaustion and worsening neuromuscular weakness are not necessarily the same thing.

MG symptoms can fluctuate for several reasons, and new or worsening weakness should never automatically be dismissed as stress.

This distinction becomes especially important when breathing or swallowing muscles are involved.

Significant breathing difficulties, difficulty swallowing, or rapidly worsening weakness require urgent medical attention. Severe breathing problems can be an emergency.

For me, MG has involved challenges with my neck muscles, eyelids, breathing, and overall endurance.

There have been moments when simply getting through an ordinary day required more energy than people around me could possibly imagine.

Now add stress to that equation.

Deadlines.

Responsibilities.

Medical appointments.

Insurance companies.

And the expectation that I should somehow continue functioning like everything is perfectly normal.

Meanwhile, my body is over here saying:

“Ma’am, we’re operating on emergency reserves. Please stop accepting additional assignments.” 😂

And the frustrating part?

Sometimes the mind is willing, but the muscles have already clocked out.

💜 The Stress Nobody Sees

One of the most overlooked aspects of chronic illness is the stress that comes with managing the illness itself.

People often see the diagnosis.

They may see the treatments, medications, appointments, and occasional physical symptoms.

What they don’t always see is the mental load.

The constant planning.

The uncertainty.

The calculations we make before committing to something.

Will I have enough energy?

Will my symptoms cooperate?

What happens if I experience a flare?

Can I make it through the day without needing to stop and rest?

Then there are the medical bills, insurance denials, medication costs, and endless conversations with people who seem to have forgotten that there’s an actual human being attached to the claim number.

And don’t even get me started on trying to schedule an appointment with a specialist.

Apparently, my symptoms are supposed to consult the appointment calendar before deciding whether they’re allowed to get worse.

Because nothing says stress management quite like being told the next available appointment is months away. 🙄

Sometimes the hardest part of living with chronic illness isn’t the illness itself. It’s the expectation that we’re supposed to manage everything the illness brings while continuing to function as though nothing has changed.

This is the part that doesn’t always show up in medical charts.

The emotional exhaustion of constantly having to advocate for yourself while simultaneously trying to take care of yourself.

And sometimes that exhaustion is just as overwhelming as the physical symptoms.

💜 “You Just Need to Relax”

Can we talk about this phrase for a moment?

Because if I had a dollar for every time someone suggested that stress management was as simple as relaxing, I might actually be able to afford some of these medical bills.

Don’t get me wrong.

Relaxation is important.

Managing stress is important.

Protecting our mental health is important.

But telling someone with a chronic illness to “just relax” can unintentionally minimize the complexity of what they’re experiencing.

Stress management is not a cure for autoimmune disease.

Meditation will not reverse the immune dysfunction involved in MG.

A bubble bath will not heal intestinal inflammation caused by Crohn’s.

And positive thinking, while valuable for emotional well-being, does not replace medical treatment.

I can be optimistic, grateful, emotionally resilient, and still have a body that decides today is not the day.

Two things can be true:

I can work on managing my stress while still needing medical care, treatment, and support.

And sometimes what people need most isn’t another suggestion about how to relax.

It’s understanding.

It’s compassion.

It’s someone willing to listen without immediately trying to fix everything.

Because trust me, if a scented candle could cure autoimmune disease, my house would smell like Bath & Body Works year-round. 😂

💜 What Stress Management Can Actually Look Like

During National Stress Awareness Week, it’s important to recognize that managing stress doesn’t require completely changing your life overnight.

Sometimes it begins with small, intentional decisions.

1. Recognizing your limits

There is a difference between challenging yourself and ignoring what your body is telling you.

Rest is not failure, and pacing yourself is not giving up.

2. Setting boundaries without guilt

Not every request requires a yes.

Not every problem belongs to you.

And not every situation deserves access to your already limited energy.

3. Making room for things that bring joy

For me, that might mean baking, listening to music, spending time near the ocean, enjoying family, or disappearing into a little Disney magic.

Sometimes happiness is found in the simplest moments.

4. Asking for support

Living with chronic illness can be isolating.

Having people who listen without judgment or unsolicited medical advice can make a meaningful difference.

5. Seeking professional support when needed

Therapy, counseling, support groups, and other mental health resources can help people develop coping strategies for the emotional demands of chronic illness.

6. Understanding that rest is productive

We live in a society that often celebrates being busy.

But sometimes the most productive thing you can do is give your body the opportunity to recover.

And yes, that includes taking a nap without feeling the need to justify it.

Because rest shouldn’t require a permission slip.

💜 You Cannot Eliminate Every Stressor

Here’s something I’ve had to learn.

Not every stressful situation can be avoided.

I cannot eliminate every work responsibility.

I cannot control every medical complication.

I cannot make insurance companies suddenly develop common sense.

And I certainly cannot convince Crohn’s and MG to coordinate their schedules so only one of them acts up at a time.

Trust me, if I could, we would have established a rotating calendar years ago.

But I can become more intentional about how I respond to the things within my control.

I can recognize when I’m overwhelmed.

I can ask for help.

I can stop treating exhaustion as something I have to earn the right to acknowledge.

And I can remind myself that I don’t have to prove my strength by pushing beyond my limits.

Because living with chronic illness already requires strength.

I don’t need to turn every day into another endurance competition.

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💜 A Moment for Reflection

National Stress Awareness Week is an opportunity to think about the ways stress affects our lives, especially when we’re already managing health challenges.

So here’s what I want you to consider:

• Are you recognizing the signs that you’re becoming overwhelmed, or are you ignoring them until your body forces you to stop?
• Are you giving yourself the same compassion you freely offer others?
• What is one thing you could release, delegate, or approach differently to reduce unnecessary stress?
• When was the last time you allowed yourself to rest without feeling guilty?

And perhaps the most important question:

Are you taking care of yourself, or are you simply doing everything necessary to keep going?

Because there is a difference.

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💜 Final Thoughts: Your Health Deserves More Than What’s Left Over

National Stress Awareness Week is about more than reminding people to take a break, practice mindfulness, or find time to relax.

It’s about recognizing that stress can affect our physical and emotional well-being, and that managing it deserves the same attention we give other aspects of our health.

For those of us living with chronic illness, that awareness is especially important.

We are already navigating conditions that demand constant attention, adaptation, and resilience.

We shouldn’t have to feel guilty for acknowledging when it becomes overwhelming.

Stress may be part of life, but constantly living at our breaking point shouldn’t have to be.

We deserve rest before exhaustion.

Support before crisis.

Understanding without having to explain ourselves repeatedly.

And most importantly, we deserve to live—not simply spend our lives managing everything that comes with being sick.

As for me?

I’m still learning to recognize my limits, protect my energy, and remember that taking care of myself is just as important as taking care of everything and everyone else.

And Crohn’s and MG?

I’m still waiting for them to learn the meaning of personal boundaries.

Apparently, neither one attended National Stress Awareness Week orientation. 🙄😂💜

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Living with one autoimmune disease is challenging. Living with two requires resilience. Welcome to The Dual Diagnosis Diaries, where I share the realities of navigating life with Crohn’s Disease and Myasthenia Gravis—one day, one treatment, and one lesson at a time.

Founder • Author • Advocate • Future Wellness Coach
Kia Lorice
The Dual Diagnosis Diaries 💜