How do you keep from being depressed when you have a debillitatng, chronic illness and are in terrible pain ?!
Question: How do you keep from being depressed when you have a debillitatng, chronic illness and are in terrible pain .?
most of the time.? How do you keep hope alive within you, when it is so easy to give into depression and sad feelings and when you feel like crying much of the time.? Please give some concrete suggestions.Health Question & Answer
Answers:
I'm where you are and have been for at least half of my life. I'm on Disability, and it took them only three months to decide that I qualified. It was extremely difficult to work while I was so ill, so my spirits were especially low, and I cried a lot.
I watch a lot of TV, especially movies. Since I can't go to a movie theater or video store, I allow myself to have HBO, Showtime and several other cable channels. By the way, I keep a film journal in which I write about the movies I've seen, including if I enjoyed them and might want to see them again. I also jot down quotations that catch my attention.
I'm on the Net a lot, usually here at Y!A Movies, but I also visit two other film lovers' sites. I also am on a couple of roleplaying forums. Through these, especially Y!A, I've made contact with some very nice people, and we exchange emails about movies and actors/actresses.
Reading sometimes can be distracting. Often, I have several books started, scattered around the house. When I feel in the mood to read, I select whichever one seems best for that moment. Now, I have an ADHD brain that keeps track of the stories, so this might not work for everyone. But, reading is a great way to relax and get your mind a bit off the pain. I have a chronically ill friend who has a collection of books about her favorite comic strips; I'm sure that you've seen them, the editions of collected works of "Peanuts", "Doonesbury", "Garfield", etc. She says that she never tires of them because she can open them randomly and find something that makes her laugh.
Music can be a great distraction. Vary what you listen to depending on your mood but not too much mopey, downbeat stuff. I love traditional Irish music! I also am a Heavy Metal/hard rock fan who kept all my music from the Eighties and Nineties. Too, I have cassettesful of Sixties music of all types, which is a guarantee of lots of smiles and relaxation.
I recently had Type 2 diabetes added to my long list of illnesses and could have let that discourage me. Instead, it's made me do something I've never done before: eat several meals a day and really pay attention to what I eat. I have to admit that some days I actually feel a bit better.
My pain treatment is limited because my body reacts badly to most painkillers; for example, codeine and derivatives are off-limits for me. I have to use Extra-Strength Tylenol and Momentum. Sadly, I no longer can find one nighttime pain relaxant, which helped me sleep. For pain lotions, I prefer Theragesic, which is especially formulated for muscle pain. Wal-Mart carries Village Naturals, which has two lotions that work wonders. The pale green is for muscle relief; the pale amber, for headaches. My mother became a believer when she started using the green lotion on various aches. Bathtime has to be accompanied by a variety of items that, again, I find at Wal-Mart though Walgreens used to carry them. Helene Curtis (I think it is) has a line of powders and liquids to add to the bath. Lavender is especially soothing to the senses and is good for the skin. Others are green for muscle pain, turquoise for sports injuries, and amber for congestion/respiratory relief. Soaking in medicated waters helps on those very bad days.
I'm nearly 57, and these illnesses took so much away from me, no matter how much I battled~my job, much of my memory, the ability to go to reenactment events, and so much more. I haven't been to a mall for many years, not that I could afford it. The last film I saw in the theater was the first "Pirates of the Caribbean"! And, I absolutely loved seeing films in theaters. I can't walk far enough to go to anything but Wal-Mart, which has electric carts~bless them!
Even now, supplements and prescriptions can do only so much. Expect to cry. When I had to have visiting nurses, they told me that pain tears have a different chemical makeup; sometimes, you need to cry. Actually, I've never had an extended crying jag because I focus on so many others things.
EDIT: "Surround yourself with friends" does not work for me! I wouldn't have the energy to deal with a lot of people. My mother and I keep commotion to a minimum, as both of us have been ill for so long. Socializing should be done only if it doesn't extend you beyond what you can do. also, be sure friends and family understand that you might not feel up to much conversation or even laughing and joking around. Somedays, you are; but, many days, you don't. At least that's how it is for me.
My list: fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome, myofascial pain syndrome, congestive heart failure, diminished lung function, asthma, Type 2 diabetes, arthritis, osteoarthritis, severe spinal problems, eczema (not too widely spread), migraines, failing vision (nearsighted, with near vision going)... That's enough of that, as I'm sure you get the idea. Mother Nature must not like me very much! *giggle*Health Question & Answer
I watch a lot of TV, especially movies. Since I can't go to a movie theater or video store, I allow myself to have HBO, Showtime and several other cable channels. By the way, I keep a film journal in which I write about the movies I've seen, including if I enjoyed them and might want to see them again. I also jot down quotations that catch my attention.
I'm on the Net a lot, usually here at Y!A Movies, but I also visit two other film lovers' sites. I also am on a couple of roleplaying forums. Through these, especially Y!A, I've made contact with some very nice people, and we exchange emails about movies and actors/actresses.
Reading sometimes can be distracting. Often, I have several books started, scattered around the house. When I feel in the mood to read, I select whichever one seems best for that moment. Now, I have an ADHD brain that keeps track of the stories, so this might not work for everyone. But, reading is a great way to relax and get your mind a bit off the pain. I have a chronically ill friend who has a collection of books about her favorite comic strips; I'm sure that you've seen them, the editions of collected works of "Peanuts", "Doonesbury", "Garfield", etc. She says that she never tires of them because she can open them randomly and find something that makes her laugh.
Music can be a great distraction. Vary what you listen to depending on your mood but not too much mopey, downbeat stuff. I love traditional Irish music! I also am a Heavy Metal/hard rock fan who kept all my music from the Eighties and Nineties. Too, I have cassettesful of Sixties music of all types, which is a guarantee of lots of smiles and relaxation.
I recently had Type 2 diabetes added to my long list of illnesses and could have let that discourage me. Instead, it's made me do something I've never done before: eat several meals a day and really pay attention to what I eat. I have to admit that some days I actually feel a bit better.
My pain treatment is limited because my body reacts badly to most painkillers; for example, codeine and derivatives are off-limits for me. I have to use Extra-Strength Tylenol and Momentum. Sadly, I no longer can find one nighttime pain relaxant, which helped me sleep. For pain lotions, I prefer Theragesic, which is especially formulated for muscle pain. Wal-Mart carries Village Naturals, which has two lotions that work wonders. The pale green is for muscle relief; the pale amber, for headaches. My mother became a believer when she started using the green lotion on various aches. Bathtime has to be accompanied by a variety of items that, again, I find at Wal-Mart though Walgreens used to carry them. Helene Curtis (I think it is) has a line of powders and liquids to add to the bath. Lavender is especially soothing to the senses and is good for the skin. Others are green for muscle pain, turquoise for sports injuries, and amber for congestion/respiratory relief. Soaking in medicated waters helps on those very bad days.
I'm nearly 57, and these illnesses took so much away from me, no matter how much I battled~my job, much of my memory, the ability to go to reenactment events, and so much more. I haven't been to a mall for many years, not that I could afford it. The last film I saw in the theater was the first "Pirates of the Caribbean"! And, I absolutely loved seeing films in theaters. I can't walk far enough to go to anything but Wal-Mart, which has electric carts~bless them!
Even now, supplements and prescriptions can do only so much. Expect to cry. When I had to have visiting nurses, they told me that pain tears have a different chemical makeup; sometimes, you need to cry. Actually, I've never had an extended crying jag because I focus on so many others things.
EDIT: "Surround yourself with friends" does not work for me! I wouldn't have the energy to deal with a lot of people. My mother and I keep commotion to a minimum, as both of us have been ill for so long. Socializing should be done only if it doesn't extend you beyond what you can do. also, be sure friends and family understand that you might not feel up to much conversation or even laughing and joking around. Somedays, you are; but, many days, you don't. At least that's how it is for me.
My list: fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome, myofascial pain syndrome, congestive heart failure, diminished lung function, asthma, Type 2 diabetes, arthritis, osteoarthritis, severe spinal problems, eczema (not too widely spread), migraines, failing vision (nearsighted, with near vision going)... That's enough of that, as I'm sure you get the idea. Mother Nature must not like me very much! *giggle*Health Question & Answer
Keep yourself as active as possible. Surround yourself with friends and family. Get a hobby that will help pass the time. Join a support group.
My stepmother has fibromyalgia, and she's had to go from being an extremely active, independent woman to having to limit her activities severely. The things I listed above are things that she does to help manage the emotional aspect of constant pain. Yes, she still gets depressed on occasion, but it doesn't rule her life.Health Question & Answer
My stepmother has fibromyalgia, and she's had to go from being an extremely active, independent woman to having to limit her activities severely. The things I listed above are things that she does to help manage the emotional aspect of constant pain. Yes, she still gets depressed on occasion, but it doesn't rule her life.Health Question & Answer
First of all, I'm so sorry you feel this way.
Can you not medicate to alleviate the pain.? That is where I would start. If narcotics are not appropriate, may I suggest a good medical grade marijuana.
As for the depression, is there a support group in your area.? Can you reach out to others who understand you.?
Tears are the way we alleviate stress, so if you feel the need to cry, go for it. Let it all out. And if you need to cry more later, do it.
Try to fill your mind with other things (difficult, I'm sure). Find things to do that require your concentration in order to distract you from your situation. Sorry if this doesn't help. Email me if you want to talk.Health Question & Answer
Can you not medicate to alleviate the pain.? That is where I would start. If narcotics are not appropriate, may I suggest a good medical grade marijuana.
As for the depression, is there a support group in your area.? Can you reach out to others who understand you.?
Tears are the way we alleviate stress, so if you feel the need to cry, go for it. Let it all out. And if you need to cry more later, do it.
Try to fill your mind with other things (difficult, I'm sure). Find things to do that require your concentration in order to distract you from your situation. Sorry if this doesn't help. Email me if you want to talk.Health Question & Answer
I have a husband who has gulf war syndrome, gout, arthritis and is looking forward to double knee surgery and disk replacement in his back this winter. He is in constant pain - it's so bad in the mornings that he can't talk to me or our 4 children. He's 38 and it's not really going to get better - he will battle pain for the rest of his life.
Our 15 yr old daughter was in constant severe pain for 4 mos with IBS until she was diagnosed and is on a diet with supplements and tea and she practices yoga. She had been on 1500 mgs of vicodin and other pain meds every day and it didn't help. She cried all the time. It was awful watching her and nearly drove me mad - I'm her mom and I'm supposed to be able to fix it when it hurts.
My best friend's little boy is 3 and going through 36 mos of treatment for leukemia.
My other best friend just recovered from a year long bout of surgeries and treatment for breast cancer. She has 2 young daughters and is in her 30's. She could have easily died because she was misdiagnosed at first.
You aren't alone in dealing with pain. There are people who live with extreme amounts of pain on a daily basis.
I've watched all these people I love endure great amounts of pain and it can cause depression (which I've battled with). You need to get on antidepressants if you aren't already. They help. Counseling, yoga, acupuncture and other therapies can help - I don't know what you have.
Not focusing on your pain and your illness will help - sounds easy, I know it's not. You have to find something that you LOVE that you CAN DO and DO IT. Read "The Secret", watch movies, read books, listen to music - do something to occupy your mind so you're not constantly thinking of the pain and being sad. You only have today, one day at a time - live it to it's fullest and try!
If depression is causing major problems and you cannot control it, get help and get on medication to correct the chemical imbalance. It will make pain 10 times worse than it already is. Please seek medical attention for it because it is a medical condition - not all in your head
; )
Good Luck - I hope I could help!
Health Question & Answer
Our 15 yr old daughter was in constant severe pain for 4 mos with IBS until she was diagnosed and is on a diet with supplements and tea and she practices yoga. She had been on 1500 mgs of vicodin and other pain meds every day and it didn't help. She cried all the time. It was awful watching her and nearly drove me mad - I'm her mom and I'm supposed to be able to fix it when it hurts.
My best friend's little boy is 3 and going through 36 mos of treatment for leukemia.
My other best friend just recovered from a year long bout of surgeries and treatment for breast cancer. She has 2 young daughters and is in her 30's. She could have easily died because she was misdiagnosed at first.
You aren't alone in dealing with pain. There are people who live with extreme amounts of pain on a daily basis.
I've watched all these people I love endure great amounts of pain and it can cause depression (which I've battled with). You need to get on antidepressants if you aren't already. They help. Counseling, yoga, acupuncture and other therapies can help - I don't know what you have.
Not focusing on your pain and your illness will help - sounds easy, I know it's not. You have to find something that you LOVE that you CAN DO and DO IT. Read "The Secret", watch movies, read books, listen to music - do something to occupy your mind so you're not constantly thinking of the pain and being sad. You only have today, one day at a time - live it to it's fullest and try!
If depression is causing major problems and you cannot control it, get help and get on medication to correct the chemical imbalance. It will make pain 10 times worse than it already is. Please seek medical attention for it because it is a medical condition - not all in your head
; )
Good Luck - I hope I could help!
Health Question & Answer