For those of you who suffer with Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, the days and weeks after the holidays may be a great time to figure out how well you survived. (Just think of lying on the couch in a cloud of contemplation.)
Did your family’s and friends’ gatherings run smoothly? Were you able to participate? Or did your symptoms lay you flat and keep you out of the action?
If you did not participate in holiday events as much as you would have liked, here are some points to consider. With a bit of “emotional” pre-planning and soul-searching, maybe your next holiday will be more successful.
(Click the arrow above to listen to this week’s 11+ minute show or feel free to download it to your computer, I-Pod or other device.)
1) Make sure that you really want to go through with it. Think through now (ahead of time) what the requirements of completing this will mean to you. Consider potential gains and losses and make a logical decision about participating before you get involved too deeply. (If your answer to question #1 is no, you don’t want to do it, then skip ahead to the next section and what to do after the challenge.)
2) If the answer is yes, then start preparing now. If you’re relatively healthy, you may not have to do much, but be honest and don’t ignore any issue that is trying to get your attention. If you’re not physically and emotionally healthy, start preparing this moment.
How well you plan now may make the difference in positive results later. If work is needed, do what is necessary to shore up your defenses (e.g. body, mind, spirit and emotions). Be as prepared as you can be. As the old addage goes, forewarned is forearmed.
After the challenge event, you may be wise to:
1) Decide if the event was worth your time, involvement and energy output. Oftentimes, you’re glad you participated in something, even though you need a bit of recovery time afterwards. In other instances, you may think twice before engaging in the event again because it just wasn’t worth it! Remember: participation is always your option.
2) From an unemotional, matter-of-fact point of view, decide if the event met or exceeded your expectations? (Positive or negative.) Sometimes events are too much hype and not enough substance. Was it all food and fake smiles? Or did you connect with people you really care about? If the event gave you a few “aha” moments and brought you unexpected moments of joy and awareness, you might want to list the event in the “worth it” column.
3) If something concerning the event stirred negative emotions, take time to figure out why you became emotional and if this resulted in you suffering more. Did what occurred or did some person trigger old memories that still feel painful and negative? If so, why is it difficult for you to live with these long-ago memories? Do they eat at you in the pit of your stomach? Does your back ache when you think of having to do “that” again? Does your head rock’n'roll at the thought of dealing with a relative or ex-friend? Do you wonder if you’ll ever be free of negative feelings and the resulting symptoms that they cause?
This last point, number #3, may be the most important one to deal with if you continue to hurt long after an event has passed. Emotions can drive the engine of your health and you don’t want to be headed down a dark, blind alley.
***If you continue to have trouble, I encourage you to do one of two things: either e-mail me about setting up a “free” 15-minute consultation or read the book Feelings Buried Alive Never Die by Karol Truman. You can pick up a copy of the the book on the front page of this blog, inside the Amazon store and the Cinda Recommends Section.
Thank you for visiting today. Share thoughts about your emotional holidays here by posting a comment and be sure to send this information to a friend in need.
I am Cinda Crawford, your host of the Health Matters Show… a place of information, hope and help for getting well from Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Ellen Pendleton 02.11.09 at 12:02 pm
Thank you for your website. I had CFS for three miserable years. My doctor told me “no cause, no cure”. I refused to buy into that and kept looking. I found Mickel Therapy, a treatment developed by Dr. David Mickel from Edinburgh, Scotland. I recovered my health 100% rather quickly. Ah-h. It turns out that the condition, as well as Fibromyalgia, is a hypothalamus disorder.
Cinda Crawford 02.11.09 at 12:20 pm
Good for you, Ellen. I saw Dr. Mickel’s website and read some about his method. Hypothalamus (HPA axis) dysfunction is common in many Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients. It’s great that he is having success! Be sure to keep in touch and thanks again.