Stress and anxiety are two things that I try to avoid, but I can't always. Sometimes I just get anxious for no reason, or I start thinking about all that I need to do and I stress myself out. I try to stay focused on the present moment but it doesn't always work. About 20 years ago I had one of … [Read more...]
The Relationship between Stress, Depression & Fibromyalgia
The Relationship Between Stress, Depression & Fibromyalgia Stress plays a major role in both fibromyalgia and depression. While there are many similarities in fibromyalgia and depression, including brain areas that are activated and how both respond to stress, fibromyalgia is more than just … [Read more...]
Turning Fear into Gratitude
It's amazing the number of times that I run across a book on my Kindle that downloaded years ago only to finally read it and think "Wow I'm glad I waited!" It's not that the book wasn't amazing but that what I learned from the book was something I needed when I finally read it. I likely wouldn't … [Read more...]
Fibromyalgia and facial expressions
When I took a speech class I had points deducted several times for not showing enough emotion in my face, or not being animated enough. I've seen it in others with Fibromyalgia as well, I think we learn to hide how we feel so well that it becomes difficult to express emotions of any kind … [Read more...]
#StoptheStigma Where does Stigma Come From?
After my post last week about the Stigma of Mental Illness, I received an email that got me thinking. " The Stigma of Mental Illness The Stigma of Rape They are the same allegations. Funny how we transfer a prejudice rather than end it. I stopped claiming the latter, maybe you could … [Read more...]
The Stigma of Mental Illness – #StoptheStigma
The Stigma of Mental Illness Last fall (2014) I took Experimental Psychology and one of the projects we worked on was related to mental illness stigma. I've wanted to share a part of the paper I wrote for that and thought that since May is Mental Illness Awareness Month now would be ideal. Before … [Read more...]
Fibromyalgia and Personality
Fibromyalgia and Personality How many times have you heard that Fibromyalgia is associated with Type A personality? I know I hear it all the time. I wondered if there was actually any research to confirm a personality relationship to Fibromyalgia or even chronic pain. I’ve also wondered more and … [Read more...]
Fighting the Twins: Fibromyalgia and Depression
Depression is probably the most evil thing to come with chronic pain, but for many of us depression is something we were fighting long before the chronic pain took hold. I mostly dealt with anxiety prior to chronic illness. Depression showed up occasionally, but it wasn't the type of thing that … [Read more...]
Controlling Negative Thoughts: Why I Chose to Seek Help
After letting the chronic pain and related issues drag me down the last three months I decided I finally had enough and had to do something. I'd reached a point where I didn't have the answer and couldn't quite get a handle on what I needed to do on my own. I needed help controlling my negative … [Read more...]
The whole is more important than in individual part
I fired my Physical Therapist today. A few weeks ago I posted that the Pelvic Pain specialist I saw recommended that I do physical therapy for the abdominal pain and the vaginal pain I've been dealing with for a while. He suggested a particular PT place in my area that does the vaginal work. … [Read more...]
