Living with an Autoimmune Disease and/or Fibromyalgia adds a tremendous amount of stress to daily life. In addition to normal stresses you endure daily pain, fatigue, physical limitations, concentration or memory impairment and other difficulties. Trying to work and carry on a normal life with severe pain and fatigue is very stressful.
When stress is rising, get away. A short time in another place or doing something enjoyable will renew your perspective and restore balance.
Take time to plan. Call ahead for directions, contact the store to check availability, keep a good map handy, stock up on supplies necessary to head off problems and stress.
Plan ahead for special events so you can enjoy them rather than collapse from stress. Shop early or year-round for Christmas or birthday gifts. Buy many cards at once so you'll have them on hand for occasions.
Do you have too many "things"? Dispose of things you don't need. Lots of "stuff" makes a living space difficult to keep clean and attractive, and a messy living space usually increases stress if only because it makes it harder to find the things you need. When you have an Autoimmune Disease and/or Fibromyalgia, you need to give special attention to your surroundings.
Perhaps inhaling the scent of lovely flowers or other pleasant smells can help improve your overall condition, or at least temporarily elevate your mood state. Proponents of aromatherapy, or using odors to improve general health, are quite convinced that this possibility is true.
Every hour stand up and stretch, do some relaxed breathing, and repeat to yourself a relaxing thought or phrase: "The day is almost over.... This project is going well."
How important is this anyway? Avoid feeling frustrated over details that in the long run aren't going to matter.
If you can't change the situation:
Autoimmune Diseases and/or Fibromyalgia can be so painful, and the symptoms so distressing that they may drive people who have them into depression or anxiety. The existence of an emotional problem occurs frequently with chronic illness, and Autoimmune Diseases and Fibromyalgia are no exception.
If you don't want to go onto prescription medications, research the various herbal and natural remedies available. Get your pain under control. Get your insomnia under control. Start exercising and eating better. When you feel physically better, it will be easier to THINK better.
Lessening the stress of daily frustrations may help reduce flare-ups and the overall pain. When the source of stress cannot be reduced or eliminated, the response to stress should be changed to avoid making the symptoms worse.
Change your reaction to stress. Develop coping strategies to deal with stress. Avoid the source, if you can. Take significant action to change how it affects you.
Find an outlet for frustration. Don't bottle it up, but find a harmless way of releasing your tension.
Enhance your personal sense of control. Develop security or predictability in other aspects of your life.
When possible, put time and space between a stressful event and your reaction. Don't allow yourself to become tense, angry or disappointed. Find a quiet place to sit and consider your options. Make a list of ways to respond. Find an excuse to get away and let your mind relax with music or an enjoyable activity. Postpone your reaction until the following day. A delay induces clarity in your response.
Problem Solving for Stress:
"Body Scanning" is taking a mental tour through your body to notice tension, stress, and pain. Take an inventory of your head, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, chest, back, hips, thighs, knees, angles, and feet. Where is there tension and pain? Most people with Autoimmune Diseases and/or Fibromyalgia try to avoid feeling their pain, which can be a good way to cope with it. To reduce pain, however, a body inventory shows you where tension needs to be reduced.
Reality Check - situations in perspective
Taking your emotional temperature. You may have trouble knowing exactly WHAT your emotional status actually is, especially if you've been feeling very bad for a long time. People often become emotionally numbed by their personal problems, as well as by their chronic pain.
Always remember that you are more than your pain, more than your illness, more than your limitations. You have a body, mind and soul. It is your soul that makes you unique and ensures that you have value and worth.
Limit other stresses you have control over. Postpone dental work, cancel unnecessary appointments and work tasks. Put off any projects until stress has reduced.
Clutter, both physical and emotional, can be hazardous to your health. It is amazing how easily and quickly clutter can fill up every corner of your mind and life. Physical clutter can have damaging psychological repercussions, as well as causing you frustration when you try to find things.
There may be times, due to pain and other stresses, that your emotional "circuits" become overloaded. You need to temporarily shut down further input. Ignore phones, doors, etc. Close your bedroom door and shut out noise. Your first priority should be your own well-being.
De-clutter. Devoting a week or more to scooping up, throwing out, or burning all the unnecessary scraps you have accumulated may give you a great psychological uplift. You don't have to wait until springtime to clean out clutter.
De-clutter mind clutter. Are you carrying grudges or holding on to bad memories? Are pieces of the past stuck in your mind? When it comes to cleaning out unnecessary "stuff" we are in eternal spring. Give yourself permission to declutter. It may provide you with a feeling of renewal at any time of the year.
There is evidence that everyday hassles are just as stressful - if not more so - than major events. Try to simplify your living space, as well as your life. Throw out, organize, unclutter, redefine, simplify, simplify, simplify. If the stressors are reduced in your life, your body can take time to heal. This might be a difficult task for you, but well worth the effort.
Say "Stop!" to yourself when you say or think a negative thought and then repeat your positive responses several times:
Remember that although your feelings and symptoms are very frightening, they are not dangerous or harmful.
Understand that what you are experiencing is just an exaggeration to your normal bodily reaction to stress.
"This is a big one!" In reality, it's NO different from the others. Every reaction seems to be the worst. If you feel brave, try to make the anxiety more intense.
Do not add to your panic by thinking about what "might" happen. If you find yourself asked "What if?" tell yourself, "So what!"
Do not fight your feelings or try to wish them away. The more you are willing to face them, the less intense they will become.
Label your fear level from zero to ten and watch it go up and down. Notice that it does not stay at a very high level for more than a few seconds.
Stay in the present. Notice what is really happening to you as opposed to what you think might happen.
Focus on and carry out a simple and manageable task such as counting backward from 100 (by 2's or 3's if necessary), or snapping a rubber band on your wrist.
When the fear comes, expect and accept it. Wait and give it time to pass without running away with it.
Notice that when you stop adding frightening thoughts to your fear, it begins to fade.
Immediately start to talk to yourself. Use positive statements such as "I can handle it," "It's just anxiety", "It will pass" and "Nothing terrible will happen to me." Ask yourself, "What am I telling myself that's scaring me?"
Be proud of yourself for your progress thus far, and think about how good you will feel when you succeed this time.
Note that some "panic attacks" are caused by an adrenaline surge after eating something containing sugar. A fast way to stop the surge is to drink a glass of milk with at least 2 percent butterfat content. The lactose in the milk brings the blood sugar up quickly. The butterfat holds it stable.
Do things slowly. Do not react instantly, even to a minor annoyance, with intense emotion as though a crisis were occurring. This type of panic actually increases stress levels. If a situation is interpret4ed as a crisis, the body will react with fight-or-flight response. Do not panic, but respond thoughtfully. Evaluate the situations as non-emergency and choose an appropriate response that doesn't produce further stress.
Question or challenge the negative thought....Don't accept it as fact.
Distract your mind. Put it on something else, such as a familiar fragrance, or object. Describe what your senses tell you. STAY IN THE PRESENT.
When you find yourself thinking, "What if," STOP and switch your thoughts to "So What If?" or other positive thoughts. Accentuate it with a rubber band if necessary.
EXPECT and ACCEPT the anxiety to be there, so you are not startled by it. Talk to your anxiety.
Even though you may have no control over a current stressful event, you can choose to stay relaxed and take good care of yourself during those difficult periods.
Learn to say no without feeling guilty.
When a person does or says something that is hurtful, express your feelings directly to that person and don't allow the incident to hurt you indefinitely. Letting go of anger or hurt feelings becomes easier once you have verbalized your concerns.
Quit fighting against things you are powerless to change. You cannot change others. You can let them know what you need from them, but you cannot control whether or not they comply with your wishes. Forget details that are not worth your time and energy. When you find yourself concerned about unnecessary details, gently remind yourself to let go.
The way we perceive and respond to a stressor is often what makes the situation harder to deal with. Your existing responses may mean that you are easily talked into doing things that you don't have the time or inclination to do. The below suggestions will help you manage.
Active Listening. These simple techniques help you to make sure that you are completely focused on the person speaking. Check that you understand what they are saying, and ensure that they have had a chance to express themselves clearly. This kind of focused attention helps to avoid any misunderstandings, to build deeper relationships, or mend those in which communication is suffering.
Make eye contact when the person is speaking. Stop what you are doing to listen to them while they are speaking, let them speak without interruption, and ask only questions that relate to the topic under discussion and that are open-ended (so they have to answer with more than a "yes" or "no"). Then paraphrase what the person said to show that you have understood it properly.
The broken record. Often people don't hear what you are saying to them if you are trying to say "no" without causing offense. The broken record technique requires you to find an inoffensive sentence that makes it clear that you are unable to do what they ask. You repeat it without variation until the person you are speaking to registers what you are saying. For instance, if the neighbors want you to babysit, say, "I'm sorry, but I do not babysit." No explanation, no excuses, simply state your boundaries.
Get rid of them. Try to rid yourself of toxic friends, or a job, or even doctors, that are giving you very little satisfaction and aggravates your Autoimmune Disease or Fibromyalgia symptoms.
Calming Breath:
Calming Counts Breathing:
Aim to have more uplifting activities than hassles in your life.
Break up your stress cycle with humor. Humor relaxes you and refreshes your energy and ability to cope.
Counter stress with activities that reduce your stress level: having a nice cup of tea, taking a walk, playing with pets, close your door and put your feet up for ten minutes, listen to music.
Take time to play. Play releases stress and builds your inner resources. Play relieves tense muscles and shallow breathing that results from stress and pain. Play improves mood, decreases depression and improves stress resistance. Think about the activities that make you feel happy, relaxed, and joyful. Schedule time for play activity each day. Play will reduce your stress level and enable you to cope with the demands of Autoimmune Diseases and Fibromyalgia.
Ten minutes with a box of crayolas is a great rest. It soothes the savage beast and calms the ravaged mind. You can use blank paper or a coloring book, whichever
Warm baths are more relaxing than hot ones. Add sea salts, baking soda or essential oils to reduce anxiety.
Hand Reflexology. The solar plexus plexus point - in the center of your palm, directly below your middle finger - is the place to work if you are feeling very upset. This is often sensitive to touch when you are very stressed. Rotate your thumb over the spot, pressing down in small circles. Press as hard as you can comfortably do.
Taking five minutes every hour just to get up and stretch your legs can make a big difference. Even if deadlines are looming, a short break can help you to return to your task revitalized.
Try to avoid working overtime. While there is often a need to stay late to finish a particular task, try not to make this a regular occurrence.
Operate a clean desk policy. No matter how busy you are, spend five minutes at the end of the day tidying your work to help you put in a more relaxed frame of mind when you arrive the following morning. Tidying your work station at the end of the day encourages a clear mind in the morning.
Alter your work habits. Take a detailed look at how you work as well as the kind of stress that work adds to your life can make a huge difference, especially if the problem lies with the amount of unpredictable or uncontrollable stress involved in your day-to-day life. Try to bring a more relaxed approach to your working life.
Burn Frankencence. This essential oil actively encourages you to breathe more deeply, as well as opening the airways in the lungs. Used for centuries in churches, it helps to create a meditative atmosphere and aids deep breathing and a calm approach to crises.
Essential oils that encourage deep, relaxed breathing include frankincense, cedarwood, lavender, sandalwood, rosewood, marjoram and benzoin. I personally think that any aroma you enjoy is going to make you breathe deeply and aid relaxation.
Catch your breath. Monitoring your breathing is one of the easiest and most effective ways to achieve a deep sense of relaxation. When you are under stress, it is common to start to take faster and more shallow breaths. To relax, you need to reverse the process.
Make time to take time. The most common problem associated with being under stress is a lack of time to do what you want to do. Yet there are often small habits that we have which, when examined and altered, can save us the time we need in order to get some breathing space.
Use fragrances. Air fresheners or essential oils in a vaporizer can add a calming touch to your haven. Use up to ten drops in a vaporizer for a lasting effect.
Airing your haven helps to increase the amount of oxygen in the air. It removes stale odors and enhances the sense of calm and relaxation within.
Use comfortable furnishings. Any furnishings in you haven need to be completely relaxing. Change the decor if there is anything that you don't like or that upsets you.
Reduce or get rid of clutter. Remove any clutter from the space you have designated as your haven, or at least stack it neatly out of sight. If your clutter involves paperwork and similar activities, set aside time to deal with it.
To aid relaxation, use low lighting in your haven; put low-wattage bulbs in lamps, dim overhead lamps, or light candles instead.
Relax to music. Classical music, especially if it does not involve singing, has long held to be calming. Recent reports indicate that Mozart's music in particular is very effective at reducing stress and anxiety, and aiding study. Men's choirs can be very soothing.
Choose music that has a slow rhythm and makes you feel relaxed and uplifted.
Reduce noise levels. Lower the ringer tone on the telephone, or screen calls. If you are in a noisy place, try using a personal stereo or earplugs. At home, try muting the television, telephone or radio output. Invest in double glazing to cut out street noise.
Add plants or other aspects of nature. As well as bringing harmony to your surroundings by adding the color green, plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen during respiration, increased oxygen helps you to think more clearly.
Use sound to change the atmosphere. Tibetan chimes, Balinese bells, singing bowls, and similar space-cleansing agents are excellent for altering the atmosphere of your room.
Select calm colors. Generally, the lighter, softer colors and pastels are deemed to be more relaxing than strong, vibrant colors. Soft mauves, pinks, blues and greens all help to calm the mind, relax the body, and reduce anger or frustration. Strong yellows, oranges, and reds tend to stimulate the body and mind, and should be avoided in large amounts in areas where you seek calm and relaxation.
Don't rush. Make every effort to give yourself enough time to complete your tasks and get to where you need to be without becoming panicked. Soothing music played en route will also help you to relax.
Frequent trips to the supermarket can be stressful and a waste of time. Try going less often but picking up everything you need for a week or two. Alternatively, order your groceries over the internet. Even if the supermarket charges a delivery fee, think of it as an investment in your sanity.
Handle each piece of paper only once. Unanswered letters and unpaid bills can easily mount up if you let them. See how long it takes you to deal with a problem by making a pencil mark on one corner of the piece of paper each time you touch it. Rather than avoiding the paperwork, make the effort to handle each item only once, even if this means you leave all letters and bills to be dealt with once a week.
Try natural remedies for stress. Alternative therapies offer a huge range of treatments and remedies for stress and are generally extremely effective at aiding relaxation. Each person has a unique response to treatment, so finding the best method for you can be a great experiment.
Do not let yourself feel guilty or use relaxation time to carry out a chore. Taking time off, even if it is only a half hour to have a soak in the bath, will leave you relaxed and refreshed and better able to cope with existing problems.
Once you have found a time and space in which to relax, don't let anyone else put anthing in that time. You have worked for the time off, you have earned it, now you need to go and enjoy it.
Draw up a list of things you would like to do if you had the time, and treat yourself to one of them each time you tackle a major or urgent task you know you have been avoiding.