Insomnia in a nutshell is a result of poor sleep. This can manifest in numerous ways from not being able to get to sleep to waking during the night for long periods, or waking up in the morning and not feeling refreshed to even waking up too early. This can make you tired during the daytime which for chronic illness patients can trigger a long list of symptoms.
My own experience
I go around on a cycle with insomnia and it can rear its head frequently for a prolonged amount of time, and then disappear again for various times frames. When I am in a cycle it can be one of the most frustrating things as all I want to do is sleep, but I cant. Which is such a contradiction for someone with chronic fatigue syndrome who is ready to flop at any moment!
My top tips for insomnia: (As always check with your doctor before trying any new tips or ideas)
If possible work out what is keeping you from sleeping – This can be difficult if there is no definitive answer, but sometimes insomnia can be a result of pain, flare-up, stress or external noise. If you know what is bothering you try to put it right; introduce relaxation if you are stressed (see below), use ear plugs and/or eye masks if light or noise are an issue.
Establish good sleep hygiene – I have spoken about sleep hygiene in previous blog posts regarding fatigue, but to recap good sleep hygiene includes: reducing caffeine several hours before bedtime, getting up the same time everyday to get your body into a routine even if you haven’t slept well, making your bedroom a relaxing environment by using dark curtains and assessing the temperature in your room, avoiding a heavy meal before bedtime, considering where your clock is in the room to stop clock watching.
Prepare yourself for bedtime – By getting yourself into a routine before bedtime you will start to teach your body it is time to wind down and sleep. You can do this by taking a bath, playing peaceful music, reading a book or winding down demanding activities.
Learn relaxation techniques – Introducing relaxation periods into your day will help your body and mind to destress hopefully making it easier to sleep. Techniques such as deep breathing exercises and muscle relaxation can help if you are struggling to switch off and are feeling anxious.
Work is hard for some people, stressful to most especially in the modern day lives we lead. What with long hours, increased workloads, it can be hard to switch off once you leave work each day. Anxiety in the workplace however is a whole different ballgame. For anyone who has experienced anxiety on any level will understand the overwhelming physical sensations anxiety brings but more so the debilitating mental side effects too.
The workplace for me has always been an anxiety induced setting but the majority of my anxiety centred on the people and the environment itself more so than the actual work. Of course the work bothered me, mainly because being an anxious individual, I’m a perfectionist, I want people to like me and as a result I would push myself too far in order to be great at my job. Nevertheless the overwhelming sense of pure anguish came as the result of being around others. Colleagues who I have never quite fitted in with, customers who are very quick to criticise – never a good combination when you are anxious other people are looking at you and making judgements.
In a previous retail job, I had a full on anxiety induced meltdown when I had to serve on a till for the first time. The thought of people watching me, sent my heart into palpitations and my stomach fluttering with nerves anyway, so when I was called over I was already in a state of panic. Clutching the barcode, I tried to run the scanner over it but my hands were uncontrollably shaking. So much so in fact the customer made a comment, making me even more self-conscious that I couldn’t use the till. All I wanted was to escape, I felt like a failure, but more than that I felt disgusted with myself that I couldn’t do a basic task like everyone else. In the end my colleague took over and I left the shop floor which later lead to my resignation – I just couldn’t face the humiliation.
I have faced many more anxiety moments in the workplace since from telephone travesties and not knowing what to say to attending team meetings and having to speak in front of other people, to be honest the list is endless.
The one thing I have learnt is to take my own needs into consideration. In an ideal world my anxiety would be knocked on the head but until then choosing a working environment that is conducive to what is going to make me feel comfortable is the best solution. For me being in a workplace whereby I don’t have to directly deal with people face to face is perfect bearing in mind my social anxiety, in which I can work independently or with only one or two others. I have also learnt that if I have faced a situation before and got through it then I can do it again, yes it’s scary but the feeling will pass and I will carry on.
Another helpful tip is to learn what it is in the workplace that makes you anxious – is it the people you work with, the type of work you do, the environment you work in? Once you have figured it out, the next step would be consider if this is an issue that can be changed. If applicable maybe speak to your manager about your concerns, your HR department or perhaps seek out 1-1 counselling externally to come up with techniques that will help you cope.
You need to remember you are not alone, in fact there may be people you work with right now that feel exactly the same way as you do. As the old-age saying goes ‘It’s good to talk.’
IBS or to be more precise Irritable Bowel Syndrome tends to be a rather common symptom in various conditions related to chronic illness. It is a disorder that affects the digestive system and can cause a range of symptoms all unique to the individual including bloating, cramps, constipation and diarrhoea. Most people fall into either one of two categories either suffering with mainly constipation or mainly diarrhoea although there are also people who can suffer with both. Annoyingly to top it off you may find that whilst one day something may trigger your IBS off another day it may be absolutely fine. As with most symptoms of chronic illness there is no definitive cure but there are different ways to try and manage your symptoms.
My own experience
If you saw me for the most part you would assume I was pregnant, my stomach becomes so bloated and hard. It can be after I eat certain foods or drinks but the majority of the time it appears like that for no other reason than maybe stress. I lie on the constipation side of bowel troubles and can go sometimes getting on for a week to ten days without going to the toilet. My bloating is what you would call slightly severe because it radiates from under my breasts all the way down to the bottom of my abdomen just like a pregnancy bump. It gets particularly bad in the area above my belly button which is inline with my actual stomach. Aside from the uncomfortableness and pain which at times is unbearable it can be highly embarrassing – but hey maybe it could be a great tool in trying to get a seat!
My tips for IBS – as always please check with your doctor before trying out any new tips and ideas.
Try and determine which type of IBS you have – Do you suffer more from constipation or diarrhoea or is it a combination of both?
Keep a diary – I bet if you have seen any doctor about your IBS the first thing they ask you is what do you eat with some of them asking you if you notice any patterns in your IBS symptoms. By keeping a diary of any flareups you have whilst writing down any foods you have eaten will help you to identify any patterns and will provide the doctor with any relevant information. It may help you to see if any particular foods cause you a problem or any food groups. You should also keep note of your emotions to see if stress could indeed be a factor.
Diet – You will hear this over and over again – take a look at your diet. It is a fact however that certain foods will loosen your bowel while others won’t. Certain foods are also designed to bloat you and give you excess wind. Everyone is different so it is trial and error to what is best for you and you have to play the long game in working out what suits your body better. IBS doesn’t really stop you eating any foods (unless of course you discover you have an allergy or intolerance) but if you do choose to eat everything in sight you may have to be willing to pay for it later!
Alternative therapies – People tend to have very opposing views when it comes to alternative therapies but if you are open to such therapies there are certain ones you may want to try. Treatments such as acupuncture and reflexology are a great starting point but you need to do your research and find an accredited practitioner.
Practice stress management – If your IBS is down to emotional matters rather than food then you need to look at ways of reducing your stress whether it be at home or in the workplace. For tips on how to manage stress at home you can read my article here.
Review your fibre intake – This will be dependant on what type of IBS you have but if you have constipation related IBS upping your fibre may help you become more regular. Good sources of fibre include wholegrain foods, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. If diarrhoea is more your problem you may find you are eating too much fibre! The joy of IBS it can never be straight forward.
Drink water – Drinking water will help you with both constipation and diarrhoea. Constipation because it can hopefully help to move things alone and diarrhoea because it can help combat dehydration from going to the toilet too much.
Recently I have noticed how using pictures to express things rather than using words is a real helpful tool to some people. I also noticed that on the internet chronic illness people use picture diagrams to express how others view them and how they view themselves.
With this in mind I thought I would give it a go myself so here goes:
Mental health problems are more prevalent in today’s society than ever before and although it still has some way to go, more people are understanding the various mental health issues that exist and the different ways in which they can seek help.
With regards to chronic illness people may find they have developed mental health problems as a result of their condition/s or actually had mental health issues before becoming ill which have worsened as a result. Mental health has many different facets but the ones most related to chronic illness patients are anxiety and depression. According to the NHS website anxiety is a feeling of unease such as worry or fear that can be mild or severe. This can manifest itself in various ways including panic disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety disorder or phobias to name a few. Depression is described as feeling persistently sad for weeks or months rather than just a few days. With both these mental health conditions there is help available and you can get support to help you cope with how you are feeling.
My own experience
I have lived with mental health issues for a very long time – before I became ill and after. Before illness I suffered with anxiety including OCD and social anxiety and felt anxious about most situations. Once I became ill my anxiety continued and at times became worse as I worried all the time about becoming ill and catching things from others which would make my symptoms worse or that other people in my family would become ill and I would be unable to look after them. Rationally I knew these thoughts were not helpful but I felt a loss of control over myself after becoming ill and that was the real reason for my anxiety. Whilst waiting for my various diagnoses I felt my issues with mental health were used as a way by others to discredit my symptoms almost like it was all in my head and for a while I started to believe that maybe it was but how wrong they all were. Since diagnosis for my various conditions I have struggled mentally with coming to terms with my new life which you can read about in my blog post Mental Health and Chronic Illness here.
Counselling was a huge source of help for me as it helped me to come to terms with who I am now and whilst I am not the person I was before my illnesses that it is ok. Letting go of my past was something I was unable to do for a long time (and is still a daily challenge) but realising I can move forward whilst in a different way is really rewarding.
My tips for Mental Health – as always check with your doctor before trying any new tips or ideas.
Speak to your doctor – If you are suffering with your mental health for whatever reason do not suffer alone. Speaking to your GP is the first step to getting better and just by having someone listen to you is a great sense of comfort.
Find a counselling service – Finding a counselling service through your GP or independently can be one of the best things you can do. Again having the chance to speak to someone takes those negative thoughts out of your head and helps you to see things more clearly. With the current climate you don’t even need to visit someone face to face you can have telephone counselling or facetime all from the comfort of your own home. Don’t want to speak to a stranger? Then speak to a friend or family member as talking is extremely therapeutic.
Learn about CBT – CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is a great tool to have when it comes to negative thinking as it teaches you how you thoughts influence your feelings, your body and your behaviour. Change your thoughts you change your world.
Accept who you are – My battle with mental health has mostly focused on my inability to accept myself for who I am but doing just that – accepting yourself can make you see life in a whole different light. Your life may not be how you want it to be but it’s still YOUR life and that makes it pretty damn special. Some days will be harder than others – that’s life with a chronic condition but tomorrows a new day and a chance for something better.
For more information regarding mental health issues in relation to chronic illness or otherwise check out organisations such as Mind, Anxiety UK or Rethink Mental Illness all of which are great sources of information.
When I decided to write this blog I wanted to bring something to my corner of the blogging world that I had struggled to find when I was first diagnosed many years ago. As much as I wanted to talk about tips and practical things to try I also wanted to talk about the feelings and emotions you experience when you have a chronic illness which I didn’t think for one minute I would feel. The biggest being the feeling of loss.
Naively, stupidly or just through lack of understanding I didn’t think an illness could make you feel loss not only in possessions or money but through yourself as a person. I also thought because I was so young when I was diagnosed how could I miss something I never had but that is just it; something I never had. This was therefore a loss of my future self, the one I had envisioned alongside the ‘what ifs’ and the maybes.
When I left my job I felt an overwhelming sense of what now and couldn’t get my head around where to go from there; what my purpose was. I also couldn’t handle accepting my illnesses and the fact my life had to change in a way I did not want it to. It was feeling like this that lead me to seek out a counselling service as I felt like I couldn’t truly express myself to anyone else without upsetting them or making them feel uncomfortable so a stranger was just what I needed. Counselling was hands down one of the best things I have done since becoming unwell as it allowed me to express myself without apology be that sadness or anger, self-indulge about my situation and actually get everything going on in my brain out there. I ended up having counselling for just over a year as I will admit it took me a long time to see the bigger picture and break down those rigid belief systems I had in my life.
In later blog posts I am going to discuss specific events in my life that chronic illness has made me experience loss including work, relationships and parenting so I shall leave those topics for now and focus on the loss of the person you once were.
Feeling you have lost yourself is hard for anyone regardless of your situation but knowing you cant go back to being that person because it would be detrimental to your health can be soul destroying. I don’t necessarily mean personality traits (unless you are someone who doesn’t stop to breathe) but the way you look at life and deal with it. There is definitely some truth in the saying ‘the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting different results’ – you think sticking to your old ways is going to change everything when really it isn’t. If it was making you feel crap before chances are it still will. Changing your thought processes is one of the best ways to challenge this behaviour and understanding you have to make yourself if not ‘the’ then one of the top priorities in your life is another; it is not selfish it is sensible.
As strange as this may seem loosing who you were and who you thought you would be can lead you to feelings of grief. Loss is loss at the end of the day wherever it be a family member, a pet, a job or of a side of you that is no longer achievable. There is no rigid sequence but you may experience feelings of denial, anger, sadness, bargaining before reaching acceptance. Acceptance is hard but once you reach it (regardless of how long it takes – I am only just getting there after 7 years) it will make everything that much easier.
All these feelings are normal to feel you are not on your own feeling them. It hurts and it doesn’t make you weak admitting that. When the time is right for you, you will begin to see the excitement in becoming the new you with your new way of thinking and priorities. It can become interesting thinking about how you are now going to live your life (horrible illness and symptoms aside) and what your new goals are going to be. Embrace it this is a brand new you and you are amazing!
Dizziness can be a result of many different factors from being dehydrated to having low sugars or low blood pressure. Dizziness can be described in a number of different ways including:
Feeling the room is moving/spinning (Vertigo)
Feeling giddy
Feeling lightheaded
Feeling off balance
Feeling like jelly
My own experience
All of the above feelings of dizziness I have experienced at some point and none of them are particularly pleasant. I have low blood pressure therefore I find moving too quickly or getting up too fast a problem which can cause issues if I ever try to exercise. I also experiences bouts of dizziness alongside headaches which can sometimes be accompanied with nausea. I often find I get flare ups of dizziness and it can made worse if I am tired. In particularly bad flare ups I find I cannot read books/words or look at a computer screen because it makes me feel worse. Like fatigue dizziness is a difficult symptom to live with as it can stop me being able to function.
Tips for Dizziness: As always check with your doctor before trying any new tips or ideas.
Drink plenty of water – Dehydration can contribute to particular forms of dizziness so it is always worth making sure you are regularly drinking. Try little and often if you find drinking large amounts difficult.
Sit down – If you find yourself in a situation where dizziness has occurred if you are able to sit or lie down until it passes and then get up again slowly.
Think about your movements – If you are like me and have issues with postural dizziness then you need to think about your movements and make them slow and careful e.g. standing up slowly, not rushing about, taking breaks when walking.
Get plenty of rest – The worst thing you can do with dizziness is overexert yourself and push yourself too much. Fatigue and tiredness will contribute to headaches and/or dizziness so make sure you get enough sleep and rest.
Speak to your doctor – If you find that nothing is helping your dizziness or it appears to have come out nowhere you should go and see your doctor. Dizziness can be caused by many different reasons that may or may not be related to your chronic illness therefore it is always worth getting it checked out.
I acted quickly, too quickly in fact which is strange for a procrastinator like me and now all I felt was panic, panic at what I had done and panic for what was going to happen and in this panic I could feel my grip on reality beginning to slip away.
I have experienced mental health issues in the form of anxiety for most of my life mainly in the form of generalised anxiety with a pinch of social anxiety thrown in the mix for good measure. I have a gift for catastrophising letting one thought move to another and then another until all of a sudden I have convinced myself I am responsible for everyone else. Once I went to the cinema and convinced myself I hadn’t turned off the tap in the bathroom sink, suddenly I had thoughts of the bathroom flooding, then the rest of the flat and being responsible for my family losing our home and our possessions. I couldn’t rest all through the film, all I could feel was my anxiety – when I got home the tap was turned off after all.
It wasn’t until I developed multiple chronic illnesses that my anxiety surrounding health really began. Having multiple illnesses that are debilitating is just that – debilitating with constant episodes of fatigue, dizziness, digestive issues etc. consuming your everyday life; the thought of catching other illnesses simply makes you paranoid. I was ill enough already I didn’t need anything else to add to the pile as even a simple cold could make me feel awful, but worse still trigger my other symptoms. Germs in a nutshell scare me, so much so that I would have to evacuate an area if someone sneezed, all for fear of catching something. Hand sanitiser has been an essential buy for me way before recent times as I would have to sanitise after every interaction I had, just in case I touched something then touched my mouth, eyes, nose, face, in fact anywhere on my body.
It was one Saturday afternoon that my panic set in; the day had been rather uneventful thus far and my mum had just left for work. It was very much early days with regards to the news of covid-19 but even these first mentions of the virus were making me nervous. So much so the second my mum left the house I decided I needed to disinfect certain areas in the home. Going into the bathroom I picked up some antibacterial wipes and peeled off the covering only for it to fall off and land in the toilet. My first initial thought was to flush it away but then my worry brain took over, anxious it would block the toilet. I tried using different objects to scoop it out but to no avail as the sticky bit of the cover had stuck to the bottom of the pan. It was then that I acted quickly like I said too quickly and I grabbed a rubber glove to put on and fish the covering out myself.
Now to the non-health anxiety eye that might not seem like a big issue or in fact an issue full stop and in fact may have been standard protocol for some people but the second I recovered the item and took the glove off, I went into a complete meltdown. All I could think was what had I done? What if I’ve caught something from the toilet or the toilet water? So I scrubbed and I scrubbed my hands even though the one hadn’t even gone in and the other had been fully covered. Then I hand sanitised, paced round my living room worrying myself sick and started the process again of scrub hands, sanitise over and over convinced that some fleck of a germ had invaded my body. All of a sudden I had the notion that if it was on my skin, it could be on my clothes too so I had to take all my clothes off and wash them right down to my underwear. After showering and putting on clean clothes I was paranoid that maybe my hair had been contaminated so had to wash it again even though I had already washed it that morning. The panic sent me into a frenzy of not only cleaning myself but rooms of the house just in case I had transferred germs from one place to another. I was catastrophising at the highest level believing my actions had contaminated the house which would make me ill and then put my mum at risk., I couldn’t think straight. I felt physically sick. I carried on this behaviour for five hours until my hands were red raw and sore and my mum returned home. Seeing her I broke down sobbing unable to take the mental anguish of what I had put myself through but speaking to her about my actions brought me to my senses and I realised how irrational my thinking had become.
Whilst I’d had episodes of overthinking, this was on one the first times I realised the damage my own mind could cause, and how much I struggled with stressful situations. I had accessed mental health services in the past alongside counselling and after reviewing my notes it opened my eyes to the concept of CBT and how your thoughts affect your behaviour and feelings. Although this is hard at times CBT has helped me to get hold of my thoughts before they get out of control. I have also learnt to manage my stress more by focusing on the things I can control and not the things I cant. Most of all I have learnt to be kinder to myself and accept me for me, because whilst my mental health is a struggle at times, I am trying my best which is all any of us can do.
Fatigue, fatigue, fatigue! Where do we start with you? Fatigue is categorically one of the biggest challenges a chronic condition warrior has to face. Fatigue is an all consuming physical and mental exhaustion that takes over not only your body but also your mind. Many healthy people will use the term fatigue to describe tiredness but fatigue is more than that as it interferes with your daily life and affects your ability to complete everyday tasks successfully.
To read more on my feelings towards fatigue and other people’s perceptions read my post titled I’m not Lazy, I’m Fatigued here.
My own experience
Fatigue for me is my biggest enemy this is because it is the one symptom I feel I cant get a handle on at times no matter how hard I try. The one symptom that robs me of achieving what I want to achieve and being who I want to be. I find it can be a combination of many things that make my fatigue worse from overdoing it, to getting too much sleep, not enough sleep, having too many sensory things around me, having to concentrate for too long and even having conversations with others.
I have tried many different things to help with my fatigue and whilst I have never found that one golden thing that solves it, I have found some little things that have made a difference of sorts.
Tips for managing fatigue – Remember to always check with your doctor before trying any new tips.
Pacing – Trust me if there is only thing you take away from my blog – pacing should be it. For more information on what pacing is and ideas on how to do it check out my pacing post here.
Establishing a bedtime routine with good sleep hygiene – Getting your body into a routine before bedtime will allow your body to anticipate sleep at the times you need it to. Good sleep hygiene which are essentially good sleep habits include making your sleeping space as comfortable as possible by looking at the temperature in the room, the bedding you use and the colour of your décor to make it a relaxing space. Going to bed the same time and getting up the same time regardless of what has gone on throughout the day or night. Avoiding caffeine, alcohol and nicotine several hours before bedtime as they are simulants which can interfere with sleep. Avoiding clock watching as this will only remind you that you are not asleep yet so instead get up and go back to bed when you are sleepy.
Relaxation periods – Find a period of the day in which you can have time that is just for yourself to do something that you enjoy. This doesn’t mean you have to sit and meditate (although this is great if you can) it can be as simple as reading a book or taking a bath, the key is it just needs to be something you find relaxing. By introducing a relaxation period in your day, you are giving your body and mind a break which with fatigue it desperately needs.
Drink more water – I have to say I am guilty of not doing this enough at times due to stomach issues but you need to try to keep hydrated as much as possible. Also look at your diet and try to eliminate anything that causes a dip in energy because this will only contribute to your fatigue levels.
Sadly there is no quick fix where fatigue is concerned just trial and error and whilst something may help one day it may not on another . There is no doubt fatigue is one of the most difficult symptoms of chronic illness to manage but hopefully by reading this article alongside some of my other fatigue articles you will find tips and tricks that you can try.
Anxiety is a little bit like writing a piece for an assignment – the more you throw in the mix the more complicated it gets. I have lived with anxiety for the majority of my life starting in childhood and bouncing along in the background into my 30s. I have what you would define as generalised anxiety disorder so many things in my life have caused me anxiety over the years. Such things include interacting with others, being looked at (not ideal when it comes to school /workplace and giving presentations – you can read my anxiety episode regarding presentations here), germs and just an overwhelming fear of new environments and new experiences.
As well as living with mental health issues for a big part of my life, I also have Tourette Syndrome and it was my mid-twenties when I noticed the first signs and symptoms of chronic illness. Of course to begin with I believed it was all in my head because that’s what negative mental health does it makes you doubt yourself. However as my symptoms increased and the intensity of them became so unbearable I struggled to hold down my job, I knew something needed to be done. It took me many years to finally get a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and several years later to an additional diagnosis of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). My physical health was in tatters with endless bouts of fatigue, digestion problems, headaches and dizzy spells – to name a few (I actually have in excess of twenty different symptoms) but I wouldn’t have guessed that it was my mental health that would take an equally big hit and create a humungous wall to scale.
This particular article isn’t to discuss the many physical challenges of chronic illness (and trust me there are more than one articles worth to cover) but the agonising mental battle that comes with it. I spent so long fighting to get diagnosed and not only that fighting to get people to believe there was something wrong with me, that I honestly believed once my illnesses were identified I would feel better, happier and more at peace but that was sadly not the case.
After diagnosis I still had the constant battle of people not believing there was anything wrong with me but it was the battle I was having internally with myself that was the biggest foe. Whilst realising there was no cure for my chronic illness was horrendous, the realisation my life would never be the same again was gut wrenching. My chronic illnesses had robbed me of my career, my independence and life as I knew it but more than that they had robbed me of my future. Making plans for the distant future were difficult but so were making plans for the following day as I could never predict how my body would respond from one day to the next. Mentally I was a mess, constantly beating myself up about my limitations, hating my body for letting me down and torturing myself of reminders of the life I could have had if I hadn’t become ill. My anxiety surrounding health got worse as I would obsess over getting ill and feeling worse than I already did and the future filled me with nothing but impending doom. I also found myself comparing my life to everybody else my age who were having amazing careers, moving into their own places, getting married and having children all whilst I had none of those things and as a result I felt dejected, useless and nothing short of a failure. All I wanted to do was separate myself from people because the pain was too much to bear.
Whilst I had spent parts of this time on antidepressants to curb my anxiety, I also attended anxiety and depression workshops and 1-1 counselling. It was here that I learnt about the world of CBT – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and how much your thoughts have a knock on effect on your feelings and behaviour. This combined with being able to talk to someone about how I truly felt about my illnesses and my future slowly but surely started to clear my cloudy mind. So much so that in time I was able to come off my antidepressants and learn to face my anxiety head on.
The more I have learnt to clear my mind the easier it has become to accept my situation and as a result my mental health. My physical health will not change but my mental health has because I have learnt to alter how I think and become my own friend and not my foe. My chronic illnesses are not my fault, I am not to blame. I cannot have my old life but then again I am not the same person I was back then. Does the future scare me? Sure it still does but nowadays I try to take each day as it comes rather than getting caught up in the why, what and when. The biggest thing I have learnt is to stop comparing myself to others because we are all different and whilst they may be ahead of me in this minefield of life, we are all on different paths and I am just in the lane of the tortoise right now but in a lane nonetheless. By changing my thoughts it has given me new hope for the future that I never had before and for that I am grateful.
With regards to my anxiety, I still experience bouts of nervousness and worry and with these current trying times it is hard not to. However I have learnt that feelings of anxiety pass and whilst in that moment it feels like the worst thing in the world, it does disappear and you do come out the other side. For me recovery from mental health problems isn’t about being cured, never to experience anxiety or low mood again, it is about accepting who you are and being ok with that. By accepting me for me and the life I have, I now have the strength to face how I am feeling and know I will come out the other side stronger than before.
My top 3 tips for keeping a healthy mind when dealing with chronic illness;
Don’t compare yourself to others – Comparing yourself will only lead to you blaming yourself. When dealing with chronic illness you need all the strength you can get so be your number one advocate not your number one opponent.
Change your thoughts – Just be altering your thoughts through a technique such as CBT your whole concept of a scenario can change e.g. changing ‘I have no future’ to ‘I have an altered future’ can install a feeling of hope rather than doom.
Be kind to yourself– Chronic illness is a random beast at the best of times and you cannot predict one day to the next so when things don’t turn out the way you planned don’t beat yourself up over it. It is out of your hands and not your fault – so remember that!
Me, Myself and Chronic Illness Blog 