Key points

Fear of the unknown is common when living with a chronic illness.

Intolerance of uncertainty is related to distress, so practice managing and tolerating uncertainty.

Use strategies like acknowledging uncertainty, creating realistic expectations, and planning for what you can.

Chronic illness is often unpredictable. You may experience consistent symptoms, yet they often fluctuate in intensity, making it hard to predict exactly how you will feel from one day to the next. A friend may ask you to go out to dinner one week from now, and you think, “How the heck can I make plans for a week from now? I have no idea how I will feel.”

Chronic illness also brings change (that is typically unwanted), loss of control, and concern about the future. You may feel crappy now and are worri

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