Chronic Illness: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Medically reviewed by Achuta Uppu, MD, Internal Medicine. Last reviewed: October 23, 2026.
What kind of doctor treats Chronic Illness?
A primary care doctor, a doctor who handles most everyday health needs, often manages long-term illness over time. The right specialist depends on the illness, such as a cardiologist (a heart doctor) for heart disease. A direct primary care or concierge doctor can be a first stop for an evaluation and can refer you to a specialist when needed.
What is chronic illness?
A chronic illness is a long-term health condition. A chronic disease is a condition that lasts at least one year and needs ongoing medical attention, limits daily activities, or both.
Chronic illness is not one disease. It is a group of many long-term conditions. Examples include arthritis, asthma, cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
Symptoms
A chronic illness can disrupt your life in many ways. You may often be tired and in pain. It may also bring other changes:
- Your illness might affect your appearance.
- It might affect your physical abilities and independence.
- You may not be able to work, which can cause money problems.
- Children may feel frightened because they may not understand why this is happening.
Learning you have a chronic illness can bring up many different feelings. Fear or shock may give way to anger, sadness, or confusion and stress about how to take care of yourself. You may feel overwhelmed by how much there is to learn. Sometimes you may feel very alone.
Depression can develop with a chronic illness. Common signs include a persistent sad, anxious, or empty mood, feeling hopeless, losing interest in hobbies, feeling tired, and trouble concentrating.
Causes and who gets it
Sometimes nothing can explain why you got the illness. The illness may run in your family. You may also have been exposed to something that caused the illness.
People who have a chronic disease are at a higher risk of developing depression. It can be triggered by stress or other challenges from the disease, brain changes from some diseases, or medicine used to treat the disease. A personal or family history of depression or suicide can also trigger it.
Depression can also raise the risk of some chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
How doctors diagnose it
Chronic illness covers many different conditions, such as arthritis, asthma, cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, and heart disease. You can ask your provider for websites you can trust to learn more about yours.
If you show signs of depression and they last or do not go away, talk to a health care provider. A primary care provider can refer you to a qualified mental health professional. This may be a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or a clinical social worker.
Treatment
You may be able to manage your illness better if you learn more about it. It is also important to find a health care provider that you can trust. Check that the information you find is reliable.
Support can help with the stress. You can try these steps:
- Talk with a trained counselor. A counselor can help you build ways to regain a feeling of control.
- Join a support group. You may find that you are not alone and learn new tips on how to cope.
- Find healthy ways to ease stress, such as going for a walk, trying yoga, tai chi, or meditation, listening to music, or spending time with a friend.
If stress or depression lasts, talking with a therapist might help. Depression is treatable, even if you have a chronic disease. Treatment usually involves psychotherapy (talk therapy), medication, or both.
Tell your provider about the medicines you take and the treatments you have. This helps avoid medicines interfering with one another. In collaborative care, primary care providers, care managers, and psychiatric consultants work together. Ask your provider if it is an option for you.
When to see a doctor
Changes from a chronic illness can cause stress, anxiety, and anger. If they do, it is important to seek help. Talk to a health care provider if signs of depression last or do not go away.
If you are thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) right away. In life-threatening situations, call 911.
Call 911 or go to the emergency room if you have trouble breathing, chest pain, fainting, a sudden change in mental state, or bleeding that will not stop.
How a direct primary care or concierge doctor fits in
A direct primary care doctor charges a flat monthly fee instead of billing insurance, while a concierge doctor usually charges more and often works alongside insurance. You can talk to a doctor like this if you have concerns about your mental health. They can help you choose a treatment plan that fits your other medical conditions, so tell them about the medicines you take.
Common questions
What counts as a chronic illness?
A chronic illness is a condition that lasts at least one year and needs ongoing medical attention, limits daily activities, or both. Examples include diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, and heart disease.
Is it normal to feel sad or angry after a diagnosis?
Yes, these feelings are normal. You may feel shocked, angry, sad, or afraid, and these feelings can come back over time.
Are people with a chronic illness more likely to get depression?
Yes, people who have a chronic disease are at a higher risk of developing depression. Depression is treatable, even if you have a chronic disease.
Can support groups help?
Yes, they might. Support groups might help, and you may find that you are not alone. A trained counselor can also help.
Sources
- MedlinePlus - Coping with Chronic Illness
- MedlinePlus - Living with a chronic illness: dealing with feelings
- National Institute of Mental Health - Understanding the Link Between Chronic Disease and Depression
Medical Disclaimer
This content is for general educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and reading it does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions about a medical condition, and never disregard or delay seeking professional advice because of something you read here. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately.
