...DEFEAT Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: ...............................................................You don't have to live with it
  • Home
  • About
    • This Site
    • Martha
  • Participate
  • Contact
    • Contact Form
    • Submissions
  • Links
  • Book
  • Further Lessons
  • Thanks

ME/CFS Attitude – Highs and Lows

1/8/2013

2 Comments

 
Picture
© 2013 TSM
Like most people, post the holiday rush and glitz, I’m feeling the let down.  Maybe it’s the juxtaposition of so much busyness followed by so much quiet.  When I was struggling with ME/CFS, the contrast was starker.  Other people went back to their normal, active lives and I went back to my forced slow recovery pace.  It was a tough reality to accept.

Handling your ME/CFS attitude is key to finding a path back to wellness.  It’s hard to keep yourself up and motivated when you compare yourself to the others around you.  And in addition to the physical illness which you are struggling to understand and heal, you have to deal with all the negative judgments and assumptions made about you by others.  And don’t forget how harsh and judgmental we can be on ourselves which is completely counter productive.

The only attitude we have control over is our own.  So cut yourself some serious slack and jettison the self recrimination.  And decide to ignore everyone else’s judgments.  It’s a waste of precious energy fretting about it.  Focus on what you CAN do to heal and recover.  And let all the rest of that negative fodder go.

How do you screen out the negative attitudes of others?  Of your self?  Please COMMENT or Send in your thoughts and I’ll post them.  You can use the Contact Form or send an email to Martha at DefeatCFS dot net.

Look for a weekly posting on Tuesdays.  And consider being part of the conversation.

Be Well Again,

Martha

2 Comments
Tim Boland
1/11/2013 01:46:23 pm

Your words bring up many feelings for me, Martha. Last night on Letterman I saw an interview with Michael J. Fox, and the audience was so warm toward him, as he has been inspirational with his illness. Some would call him brave, certainly courageous.

His illness can be easily seen as his body jerks involuntarily. He did say something most interesting, which I feel may apply to some with CFS, which is that it is now thought by some researchers that people who have his illness have a predisposition and that certain triggers in life might bring it on. It helped me to realize that although I know I could have made substantial difference before becoming ill that may well have led me toward health instead of toward illness, that my genetics are mine.

My mother seemed to have poor health while I was growing up but we did not talk about it much. Today, we do have the blessing of acceptance by some, who do understand how difficult illness can be, especially I think with the one faced by those who suffer with CFS and/or fibro, as our illness is 'invisible'. It is not always obvious to others that we do not feel well.

I have been going through bouts of self recrimination, and your words and those of Michael reminded me that it is not all my fault. And I realized deeply too that feeling depressed does not help my body feel better on that day. It is a difficult process, an unfair one, yet your example and those of others who have taken care of themselves into wellness are an inspiration.

Reply
Martha
1/12/2013 09:00:20 am

I feel strongly that a percentage of people are predisposed to ME/CFS thru genetics. Then add an overworked body ripe for infection and stir in one catalyst. Now you have ME/CFS. I recently found out that my grandmother was bedridden under a doctor's care for about five years when she had young kids - severe exhaustion and a generalized illness.

Until we get more concrete information from researchers, we need to trust that ME/CFS is a real physical illness and we're not to blame for having it. Michael J. Fox is courageous and has made a huge impact on public awareness of debilitating diseases. I'm sure he too has his days of depression and frustration. Just make them infrequent. Thanks Tim!

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Hello,  I'm
    Martha Kilcoyne

    Welcome
     to our Community!

    After struggling with CFS for four years I am fortunate now to be fully well and making choices about how I want to live my healthy life.  One choice is to be an active part of the CFS community and to offer one voice from the fully recoverd to the dialogue.  I'm glad you're here!   For more about me, here's my Bio.

      Join Our Community
      Enter your email address to
      follow this blog.

    Join

    For Books, Supplements, Sleep aids and more

    Picture

    Archives

    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011

    Categories

    All
    Appreciation
    Attitude
    Being Positive
    Brain Fog
    Choices
    Community
    Connect
    Coping
    Data
    Diagnosis
    Doctor
    Emotions
    Energy
    First
    Food
    Funding
    Genetics
    Goals
    Gratitude
    Groups
    Guest Blog
    Gut Feelings
    Health
    Helping
    Holidays
    Hope
    Humor
    Immune Support
    Inner Voice
    Ion Channelopathy
    Irony
    Isolation
    Journal
    Log
    Mantra
    Memory
    Mind
    Negativity
    Nutrition
    Opinions
    Organizations
    Outlook
    Pace
    Participate
    Patience
    Patterns
    Personality
    Perspective
    Protocol
    Provider
    Pushing Too Hard
    Pushing Too Hard
    Record
    Recovery
    Relapses
    Research
    Resolutions
    Rest
    Sleep Depravation
    Step By Step
    Step By Step
    Strategies
    Supplements
    Support
    Take Control
    Take Control
    Thankfulness
    Vacation
    Variables
    Version

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Copyright © 2011-2012
    Triple Spiral MEDIA LLC