It is a catch-22 and can completely relate. My work at one point was so stressful with long hours, and a lot of travel so that there was no consistency in my life; then the illness began to impact my work and began to affect my abilities. I was all over the place. The illness finally shut me down, no life at all and just began to survive, and just barely. I had to change life circumstances to accommodate my illness. Then even after I found consistency and getting into a routine, things got a little better but the illness still triggers episodes that continue to interfere with life and will throw me for a loop and then vice versa, life circumstances throwing the illness a curve, almost like a contraindication. Preventing me from accomplishing the things wanted to accomplish and having some kind of quality of life. At least with the routine and consistency, I can gauge better where symptoms stand to try to manage outside influences and can deal with stresses better as well now. I also can't do it without support, of pdoc, T, and friends.

I KNOW that they impact each other and can minimize it but still it IS a vicious circle. Your analogy of the chicken or the egg is perfect.