...DEFEAT Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: ...............................................................You don't have to live with it
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ME/CFS Attitude – Stilling the Voices

7/3/2018

2 Comments

 
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Everyday ME/CFS sufferers deal with choices:  The ‘energy envelope’ as it’s referred to nowadays.  The emphasis is placed on how much energy you have, what you MUST handle today and what you can postpone or just let go of altogether.  This approach refers almost exclusively to physical energy expenditure.
 
When I was sick, physical energy conservation was a primary concern for me.  But I came to realize over time that emotional and psychological energy were even more important.  Doesn’t make sense?  Here’s how it would go for me.
 
During the times when I was ‘resting’ and making well balanced decisions about my physical energy, my mind was still active.  Almost racing along despite the brain fog, I kept sifting through things like a Virginia Woolf stream of consciousness passage on speed.  And despite my best efforts to be upbeat and positive about my situation and progress to date, I would eventually wander down the self questioning and negative path of doubt.  And then would come the damaging and harsh list of everything that I was failing at because of ME/CFS.
 
For me, this was exhausting.  And debilitating.  So over time I learned to still my mind.  Beating myself up mentally wasn’t changing anything except eating up precious energy that I needed for the long haul.

 
So after you fend off the insensitive comments of others, how do you look upon yourself? Do you fester over your situation?  How do you still the negative voices?  Please COMMENT on this blog or Send in your thoughts and I’ll post them with your permission.  You can use the Contact Form or send an email to Martha at DefeatCFS dot net.  And Guest Blogs are most welcome!
 
Look for a weekly posting on Tuesdays.  And consider being part of the conversation.
 
Be Well Again,
Martha


2 Comments
Tim Boland
7/5/2018 08:53:24 pm

As always Martha, I find your personal experience so valuable. I am finally getting to a better place, just today as I rested in my easy chair, some thoughts were coming up about how I feel disappointed when I am not fully myself with others as I was before the illness.

There is pain which many of us have experienced, mine tends to be less in the mornings, especially after a good night's rest, sometimes I can say I feel 'good' in the morning, though of course with this illness, not as good as I would like.

I am now able to better reassure myself that I am ok as I am, I hope that others will understand, sometimes my thoughts due to something like the brain fog you speak about, well my thoughts and speaking are not quite a swift and smooth as before, at times. And I know I need to understand and reassure myself, for the most part I really am doing the best I can.

I hope of course others understand, some do and some don't seem to. My job, if I can call it that, is to take the best care of myself that I can, with rest and not overburdening myself with too many worries or concerns. Just relaxing has been a challenge, I am getting better at it.

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Martha
7/6/2018 02:34:51 pm

It truly IS a challenge to relax and just heal. We are all trying to get better at it. Thanks Tim!

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    Hello,  I'm
    Martha Kilcoyne

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    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.

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