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Chronically Living

Making the most of it with chronic illness.

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As a mental health professional I think it’s important to be aware of different treatments available when you’re struggling. Whether it’s a diagnosed condition like Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) or depression/sadness that often occurs in our lives. While some people need and get benefit from medication, like SSRIs, other opt for a more natural approach, like turmeric/curcumin. In all cases I believe pairing it with counselling to learn coping skills, etc is the best option. What are your thoughts on using natural vs western medicine for mental or physical health?

While we can’t control everything that does happen in our lives, there is always something we can control. How we act and react to different circumstances. Personally I’ve found this to be very true while having chronic pain/illness. I couldn’t control those things happening to me. However I have been able to control what I do throughout the day, what I do with my life even though it’s changed, how I approach having pain and illness in both a physical sense and emotional one. It’s a lot of work to be able to do this. Doing it is what makes me not controlled by fate.

As a mental health professional (registered clinical counsellor) I have gone to therapy and continue go to therapy because it’s helpful for me and important to me. I initially went for anxiety, depression and difficulty coping with a chronic illness. I have continued to go to deal with childhood trauma and ensure my overall well-being is good. I think that part of fighting stigma about mental health is to show you that therapists/counsellors are human to. Many (if not most) of us have been to counselling and do go to counselling. It makes us better at helping others. You can’t pour from an empty cup. On #bellletstalk day remember you can share your story and help fight the stigma, or engage in learning about how to help others with their mental health.

Lotus flowers need muddy ground to grow. And I think they are quite pretty. When I think about my own life, I needed the mud to grow into the person I am, which is a person I like, care about and respect. Life isn’t easy. We all have our own versions of mud. The question is are we willing to do the work required to make us into the lotus. It’s hard and at times zero fun, and yet at the end can be extremely rewarding. That’s how I view therapy/counselling, and my own personal growth over the past 7 years.

There’s no perfect way to discuss chronic pain or illness with someone you’ve newly entered a relationship with (or dating, before you’re official). I’m in a relationship after several years of being single and while having the initial discussion with my partner was a bit scary, it opened up more of a dialogue that has made it easier for both of us and has deepened the relationship itself. And here’s the thing, if you want a meaningful romantic relationship, the discussion has to happen at some point. Making it a deep, open and honest one (while regulating your emotions) is incredibly helpful. How have you discussed your pain/illness with a current (or former) partner?

For those who may not know, Jon Kabat-Zinn is a retired MD. He is also one of the people that made mindfulness more mainstream in North America. Sometimes, yes it’s true that doctors don’t believe we’re in pain. I’ve been there, you’ve probably been there. Anyone who is a woman and/or a person of colour has been there. Yet sometimes when an alternative treatment like meditation/mindfulness, counselling/therapy, etc is offered, it’s not because of a lack of belief but because there is a mind-body connection and health can be addressed in many ways. The more open I became to exploring alternative ways of healing, the better my life became in many ways. What are your thoughts on this quote?

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Posted on December 26, 2020December 26, 2020Author truetalesoflifeandlupusTags church, cleansing, connectedness, deep dive, essential oils, exercise, forgiveness, hiking, life meaning, meaning, meditation, mindfulness, nature, peace, premium blog, premium content, self-care, selfcare, selfcompassion, selflove, spiritual, spiritual self-care, spiritual selfcare, spirituality, video, yoga

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