How Chronic Illness and Mental Health Intersect

May 27, 2025

Chronic illness and mental health go hand in hand. Millions of people living with chronic conditions also experience mental health symptoms—but many don’t realize these are connected or treatable. If you’re living with a health condition like musculoskeletal disorders, cancer, or hypertension, you’ve probably felt how it can affect your mood, energy, and outlook. And the reverse is true, too—stress, anxiety, and depression can make physical symptoms worse or even contribute to illness over time. That’s why "That's why it is important to acknowledge the connection between chronic illness and mental health"chronic illness and mental health shouldn’t be treated separately. When both are supported together, healing gets easier and life can feel more manageable.

The link between chronic illness and mental health

The connection between chronic illness and mental health is well-established. Pain, fatigue, and medical stress can affect your mental well-being—and declining mental health can make it harder to manage your physical health. The connection goes both ways, and the effects can be compounding.

"It’s cyclical. It’s bidirectional. It doesn’t matter whether it started in the physical, the mental, it goes both ways,” said Ben Harel, LPC, a therapist for Lyra Health who helps clients improve physical health through mental health support. “It's like you have a boat with a hole in it. You can either patch the hole or you can shovel out the water, but if you don't do both, the boat's going down."

Here are some common ways chronic illness and mental health intersect:

Mental health impactChronic illness impact

Chronic illness and mental health treatment

If you're living with a chronic illness, caring for your mental health can be life-changing. And it’s never too early or too late to reach out for support. Therapy can help you take manageable steps forward, rebuild hope, and support both your emotional and physical health.

When mental and physical health care are connected, you get more personalized, whole-person support that treats the full picture—not just your symptoms. Integrated care means your providers work together—so you're not stuck managing everything alone. For example, it could look like your therapist and doctor teaming up to treat pain, fatigue, and emotional strain as one connected experience.

"If any part of your life is impaired, whether it's physical pain, relationships, or daily functioning, and it’s not improving, it’s time to try something different,” said Harel. “Chronic illness and mental health require an integrated approach—one that combines therapy and other solutions. Take it one step at a time though. Overloading yourself can lead to burnout and setbacks. Finding the right balance is key."

Getting help is especially important if you notice:

• Ongoing feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, or fear
• Difficulty keeping up with everyday tasks or treatment routines
• Feeling overwhelmed by the demands of managing your health
• Losing interest in hobbies, work, or relationships
• Struggling to stay connected with loved ones

Depending on your needs, mental health support for chronic illness could include:

Counseling

Therapy is a proven tool for managing chronic conditions. It can help you process the toll of chronic illness and mental health concerns, build healthy coping skills, and feel less alone in your experience.

Evidence-based therapies

Approaches like acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and motivational interviewing (MI) are especially effective for chronic illness and mental health. They can help you cope with limitations, develop self-compassion, and find motivation to make meaningful changes.

“Any acceptance-based therapy is going to be helpful, because it helps you feel understood, accepted, and motivated—not necessarily to fix things, but to make things better,” said Harel. “With ACT, for example, you’re shifting away from avoiding pain, and toward living a meaningful life despite whatever’s going on.”

Support groups

Talking with others who face chronic illness and mental health issues can reduce isolation and offer validation, encouragement, and fresh perspectives.

“People tend to be hesitant and even a little embarrassed about support groups, but there are groups for almost everything—from chronic illness to major life transitions like postpartum mental health or cancer treatment,” said Harel. “You don’t have to bare your soul or make best friends; sometimes just talking to someone who truly gets what you’re dealing with can be incredibly powerful.”

Family or couples counseling

Chronic illness can strain even the closest relationships. Family or couples counseling provides a safe space to work through challenges together, strengthen communication, and stay connected.

Caregiver support

Those who care for you need support too. Therapy, support groups, and respite care can help caregivers maintain their own well-being while supporting yours.

“Caregivers are engaging in a dual-role relationship, and that just statistically raises the chance of strain and conflict,” said Harel. “I think what’s really important is for caregivers to get their own therapy and, ideally, have conversations together with their loved ones about boundaries, norms, and how to hold each other accountable.”

Mind-body practices

Breathwork, meditation, and gentle movement like yoga can ease symptoms of chronic illness and mental health conditions.

Complete care for every part of you

Lyra delivers personalized, evidence-based mental health support that’s integrated with physical health care. By addressing emotional and physical needs through therapy, medication, and digital tools, we help people stay engaged in their care, feel stronger, and build lasting well-being. With this integrated approach—where therapists, medical providers, and support resources align—you get the support you need to heal.