CF and Relationships (GP)

Whether it be a friendship, romantic or even family, relationships are tough at times for everyone. Although you may not think it, CF can have a dramatic effect on not only the person with CF but the people in their life, their social life and the things people without CF take for granted.

Personally I've always struggled with friendships in particular. Some friends I've had or have now have been incredible with supporting me through the hard times, hospital stays, weeks off school/college and have always been there for me, others on the other hand, have not. Of course we have all had friends that turned out to be toxic but I feel as though CF has definitely had a dramatic effect on my past and present friendship groups. 

CF is like a full time job that you have no choice but to get on wth it. Hours of treatments everyday, 50+ tablets, having to cancel plans last minute, walking slow and taking breaks to catch your breath, checking blood sugars, weeks out of education/work, it makes you feel extremely isolated. A good friend would understand when you have to cancel, understand when you need to take a break, understand when you're absent from college/school and yet still make you feel included. Unfortunately a lot of people aren't like this. A lot of of past friends have make me feel like an outsider, like I'm not apart of the group anymore because I've been away for so long or because I'm different, why should that effect anything?

I struggle now with extremely low self esteem and practically no social life due to lack of friends an feels super alone, and I shouldn't have to feel like that.

I feel as though the lack of awareness for CF doesn't help the case at all, if the people around us aren't aware of what we are going through, how can we expect them to understand how they can support us. I suppose we need to do two things. RAISE MORE AWARENESS & SUPPORT EVERYONE NO MATTER THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES. 

I hope this helped shed some light on the other more social struggles CF brings along with it as well as the obvious physical and mental effects and helps maybe even one person understand more how to support someone with CF, in either a friendship, romantic relationship or family relationship. 

Written by Olivia Ford

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