Monday 11 February 2013

The impact of STRESS.



So it's been a while since I posted but it seems in that time like I have had 1001 things going on. It feels as if I have been buried under this thing called stress and it has swallowed me up. Due to being under stress it has had a massive impact on how I have been feeling both physically and emotionally and so this is the inspiration for tonight's blog. The impact of stress.

                         

The above chart shows how stress can affect people and if you read it is shows just how it can affect your health. Some symptoms on there I already suffer due to my medical conditions so you can imagine what the added stress on top has been doing.

Stress and I.

We seem to have a funny relationship sometimes I seem to not stress at all about some things and be very relaxed but other things can become big issues and then cause me to have a full on Fibro flare. It seems as these past few weeks have had quite a big impact and caused one long fibro flare. I think for me the worst impacts of stress are felt through my pain levels and also on my sleeping. As a fibro suffer I struggle with sleep and having good restorative sleep as it is and adding stress to the mix is like having a lethal cocktail, it's a disaster waiting to happen. However, trying to relax and clear you mind of all the things that you are unable to control around you are not very easy.

                         

I also get very forgetful when stressed it's as if it becomes best friends with my fibro fog. I managed to miss my first Fibro support group meeting at the hospital. It wasn't until 3 am the next morning that I suddenly remembered I had missed it. I phoned up and apologised and decided to re book onto another course later on in a couple of months as I had already missed the first of 4 and I was going to miss another so it seemed like it would be a waste of time if I could only go to half. I do look forward to going to this course though so it was a shame.

Stress busting Fibro Mummy style.
I cannot control what is going on around me but I can try and take control of how it is affecting me. I try to find ways in which to try and take my mind off it and think positively about things even if they are not connected to the particular situation. The key is not to let it catch you and pull you down into a depressive spiral.

Things I have been doing to try and take my mind off the stress:

Looking forward - what have I got coming up to look forward to?
For me this is a couple of weekends away with my girls planned. I booked these just recently as I find getting away a good stress buster. I did shop around for some good hotel deals though!
A family holiday, this will soon come round and we love going to our favourite place Weymouth.
Fibro meet- a fab weekend planned where I will get to spend time with some of my fab supportive online friends! eeek can't wait!

Keep busy - What can I do now to take my mind off things?
Part of this for me is helping to organise things for our meet in terms of a document and keeping it up to date.
Doing things with my girls and getting out and about even though I have been in a lot of pain, getting out can certainly help.
Blogging is also a good outlet for me, gets things off my mind stops them buzzing round in my head especially late at night when I can't sleep.

Support - Better out than in!
Talk to people it's better out than festering away inside you. Even if it's a situation that you have little control over or say in it's always better than keeping it to yourself. Those of you who know what's going on just want to say thanks for your support!
Don't hide away and become isolated! Even if you can't get out don't hide away. I find my fab online groups a great outlet and a great support. Some are groups with people related to Fibro and disabilities who I have met some fab people through you know who you are, and others are other types of groups in particular a fab mummy group! I have over the years met some great people online that I have been talking to now in some cases for 8 years!

Try to remain positive - positivity breeds positivity!
As the old song goes 'Always look on the bright side of life'.
I also try and look at the things I have to be thankful for. My recent things to be thankful for are my fab supportive online friends, and a couple of 'real life' friends, who I don't see as much as of I would like but never the less are always there. I am thankful that even though I have been feeling in a lot of pain lately and especially over the last week I was still able to get out with the girls and enjoy a  meal out and then get some lovely clothes for them when shopping. I am also thankful that it is nearly Easter and that Mr Cadbury invented the creme egg- I love them!

                                   


My biggest things to always be thankful for though are my two beautiful girls, who always bring a smile to my face!

                                  


                                  




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