Doing what you love and finding balance

[Noloft]

Hi all 

 

I wanted to bring this up in the forum and that is finding balance thru moderate/severe symptoms. 

 

I am battling what I consider severe symptoms almost every day, yet I am not so bad that I am bedridden, home bound or completely unable to function, so I consider that a victory. 

 

However, in my situation I still have these very disturbing and uncomfortable symptom patterns-emotional and physical—that significantly impair my functioning  but mainly they just make life incredibly unpleasant and difficult to manage. 

 

I have found myself asking myself what the best course of action for me is in this situation. While I am focusing some time on healing efforts such as gentle exercise with walking and Pilates, as well as nutrition and therapy, I do not want to use my free time sitting around in my discomfort and would rather be uncomfortable doing the things I love, which is fishing (a taxing activity) that can sometimes make my symptoms worse for a while. I do not want to give up the activity and am being advised by my therapists to not let the feeling bad get in the way of my goals and life. 

 

My main concern is that by living my life-using my brain at work, using my body while fishing (generally fatiguing it more than it already is) and going out with friends on occasion—may be setting back recovery. I do not know if this is a valid concern or not yet it has come up in my mind. I wanted to ask others on the forum who were bad off but not so bad off they couldn’t engage in life—has engaging in the things you love, engaging in life even when not feeling up to it,  set you back in your recovery efforts? Has Doing so been beneficial?  I often am told to push and keep going and not to let symptoms stop me but sometimes I wonder if that is only prolonging this situation. I do not wish to do nothing until I am better because I do not have the mental strength to sit with my thoughts while doing nothing I have to keep moving forward.  

 

I am very interested to hear others experiences regarding doing what they love while in withdrawal, finding balance between work and social/personal endeavors while dealing with the symptomatology, and how it has impacted their journey. Mainly, has living your life in spite of withdrawal been healing for you? Or have you found more healing postponing your goals and giving yourself more “do nothing” time?

 

 

[frasier23]

Im been thinking lot around this during my time from bedridden til now about 60-70% healed.

 

I decided early todo only the things that I wanted and felt to do and say no to everyone or everthing trying to convinced me otherwise which including my own logic. My plan was/is to do these things later when I really feel for it and my body gives me the right signs. This can be very hard especially when it it comes to people.

Take fishing for ecample. Today I fish and I enjoy it. Earlier it would just make me even more depressed since I would feel handicapped in some way (exhausted/stiff/disoriented/anxienty etx) doing it. If ppl invite try to tell them you want to come but cant this time and sometimes go meet them so you can get a checkpoint to analyze your progress. Meeting Good friends/family is important but dont overdo. 

 

Hope it gave you some input. 

 

Edited February 28, 2019 by ChessieCat
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