The US pharmaceutical market alone is the size of the European and emerging countries’ markets combined (Statista). This means that America is the single biggest consumer of meds in the world. The high incidence of chronic diseases is a major contributor to that sad fact. Over 80% of Americans over the age of 65 have at least one chronic condition and in many cases, these health problems start in the youth. Managing them is a trial for any family, but the chances are that you or your spouse will be facing it in the future (if not already).

However, many studies show that timely family intervention can improve the situation greatly. Therapy is particularly effective in helping spouses learn how to manage to live with a chronic disease without compromising their relationship. But you shouldn’t forget that living with some types of common chronic diseases will require a bit more work. In these cases, making a few lifestyle and dietary changes can literally save your marriage.

3 Common Chronic Diseases and How to Handle Them Better

Erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction leads to many divorces, reports Huffington Post. Even if the spouse is initially supportive, resentment and dissatisfaction quickly grow. That’s why therapy alone will never be as effective a treatment as male enhancement pills.

Those suffering from erectile dysfunction should be doing two things. One is taking supplements and eating foods that boost male virility and vitality. These include blood flow stimulating and aphrodisiac foods like oysters, dark chocolate, and chili peppers.

The other thing is to diversify your arsenal of sexual techniques. As there are many ways to bring satisfaction to your partner that doesn’t require intercourse, you’ll be able to maintain the aspect of the relationship denied you by the disease. It’s best if both partners work together on expanding their horizons as this can help strengthen their relationship and reduce the amount of stress.

Arthritis

Arthritis is one of the most common chronic diseases in the US, affecting about 31% of the older population. It can affect both spouses and chronic pain and loss of mobility make arthritis a dangerous trail for the relationship. It’s the same for any condition that causes chronic pain because the individual’s reactions to it might be extreme. In many cases, this type of condition makes people heavily depressed, and this mental illness prevents them from participating in a relationship.

In case one of the spouses is healthy, family therapy can be a great help in resolving the issues that threaten the relationship. You can further strengthen your bond by taking up activities, like swimming and yoga. Both practices are good for managing arthritic pains and working out together will help you grow closer.

If both spouses suffer from the condition, therapy and joint exercising are still the best solutions. However, in this case, individual therapy might be an essential step for recovery, especially when dealing with depression.

Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

The frequency of neurodegenerative disorders, like dementia and Alzheimer’s, is growing at a frightening pace. Today they are some of the most common chronic diseases, yet there’s no treatment or even an effective management strategy.

These conditions are truly a test of the relationship strength as the healthy spouse will have to be completely selfless to persevere through the ‘bad days’ caused by the conditions. The only thing that can help you deal with these chronic diseases is professional help.