On one hand, I think that separating the illnesses from the person could be attained by not letting the effects of the illness stop you from enjoying life. Kinda simplistic.

On the other hand, symptoms can shape who you are. The tendrils of the illness can be deeply embedded. It's like time travel in sci-fi. If you go back in time and change even one small thing, you could cause drastic changes to the present.

While I am not my illnesses, they are a part of me. They have been for most of my life.