Thank you for these tips, your writing has been so helpful for me. I think a big thing that I’ve learned over the years is that responding to my symptoms with fear and judgement (oh no! What does this mean? How long will this last? Is this going to be my new baseline?) just further puts my nervous system on high alert and tends to make me feel worse. So I’m trying to respond differently now (this doesn’t mean I’m getting worse. This is temporary and will pass, etc.) Also fighting against my symptoms (I hate this! I’m so mad I’m feeling this way! It’s ruining my day!) uses up precious energy that I need to conserve. So I’m really working on how I respond to my pain flares.
I'm working on the 'is it bad enough? Am I ill enough?' It's bonkers when you see it written down! I used to go down the rabbit hole of reasoning / bargaining with myself that 'there are others far more ill than I am, I can tough it out'.
It turns I can't!!
It's definitely an area I am, little by little, getting better at and your content has helped me SO MUCH 💖
I’ve made the effort to be curious about my symptoms. There was a moment of clarity I experienced when I regarded my anxiety as another entity and “got to know them.” Something about it was healing. I haven’t thought of doing that with my physical chronic illness, however. This post is giving me some things to ponder. Thank you for sharing!
Learning to befriend myself has been a big part of my journey. Like you have with anxiety, I did with severe pain. I later followed suit with the critical part of my voice. (It never did land with me to call it a name and separate it from myself as more frequently recommended)
My voice is still there on occasion but it doesn’t overpower. And the severe pain transformed -taking beyond what was medically believed possible.
Who knew how powerful learning to befriend yourself could be!?!
One thing I've learnt(and am still learning) through my chronic and mental illness journey is self compassion.
A huge part of that, for me, has been not gaslighting myself, acknowledging when I'm struggling and not allowing myself to suffer more than necessary by not giving myself the things I know I need(rest, pain killers, creative time, support from others).
I’m sorry to hear about the frequency of these nightmares lately. I have the odd one but it hasn’t been one of my main symptoms and it sounds a lot!
I love how you’ve got present with it, learned to show yourself compassion and then turned them
In to such great tips for readers/clients.
I’ve come to see flare ups/relapse and burn out episodes etc as a call to presence. Recently I’ve turned the strategy I implemented each time into a spiral of growth for my next book. I haven’t got far in writing about it yet though so I have nothing to share beyond an outline of various steps.
Recognising our symptoms don’t want to be controlled is such a wake up call. My motto has become “creation not control”🩵🤍
Thank you for these tips, your writing has been so helpful for me. I think a big thing that I’ve learned over the years is that responding to my symptoms with fear and judgement (oh no! What does this mean? How long will this last? Is this going to be my new baseline?) just further puts my nervous system on high alert and tends to make me feel worse. So I’m trying to respond differently now (this doesn’t mean I’m getting worse. This is temporary and will pass, etc.) Also fighting against my symptoms (I hate this! I’m so mad I’m feeling this way! It’s ruining my day!) uses up precious energy that I need to conserve. So I’m really working on how I respond to my pain flares.
This is so, so wise Sam! The changes you mentioned were crucial for me in both my physical healing and bringing joy back onto my life
I'm working on the 'is it bad enough? Am I ill enough?' It's bonkers when you see it written down! I used to go down the rabbit hole of reasoning / bargaining with myself that 'there are others far more ill than I am, I can tough it out'.
It turns I can't!!
It's definitely an area I am, little by little, getting better at and your content has helped me SO MUCH 💖
I’m so glad it’s been helpful! Working on this stuff is definitely a journey
I’ve made the effort to be curious about my symptoms. There was a moment of clarity I experienced when I regarded my anxiety as another entity and “got to know them.” Something about it was healing. I haven’t thought of doing that with my physical chronic illness, however. This post is giving me some things to ponder. Thank you for sharing!
Wonderful regarding anxiety—you already have the skill and I’ll be curious how it feels applied to physical symptoms
Learning to befriend myself has been a big part of my journey. Like you have with anxiety, I did with severe pain. I later followed suit with the critical part of my voice. (It never did land with me to call it a name and separate it from myself as more frequently recommended)
My voice is still there on occasion but it doesn’t overpower. And the severe pain transformed -taking beyond what was medically believed possible.
Who knew how powerful learning to befriend yourself could be!?!
One thing I've learnt(and am still learning) through my chronic and mental illness journey is self compassion.
A huge part of that, for me, has been not gaslighting myself, acknowledging when I'm struggling and not allowing myself to suffer more than necessary by not giving myself the things I know I need(rest, pain killers, creative time, support from others).
Self-compassion is everything 💗
Thank you 💛 Everything I needed to here in the midst of a big chronic pain flare
I’m sorry to hear about the frequency of these nightmares lately. I have the odd one but it hasn’t been one of my main symptoms and it sounds a lot!
I love how you’ve got present with it, learned to show yourself compassion and then turned them
In to such great tips for readers/clients.
I’ve come to see flare ups/relapse and burn out episodes etc as a call to presence. Recently I’ve turned the strategy I implemented each time into a spiral of growth for my next book. I haven’t got far in writing about it yet though so I have nothing to share beyond an outline of various steps.
Recognising our symptoms don’t want to be controlled is such a wake up call. My motto has become “creation not control”🩵🤍
Do you happen to know anything that would help with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome(CRPS)?