Honestly, who wouldn't feel down, upset, unsure, angry, alone.... No one asks for Multiple Sclerosis or any of its intrusive symptoms. It is a life changing event and not everyone handles it the same. There is a lot of information online and lots of tips and tricks to navigating it, but there is not one solution tailored to one person. We all have different things going on in the background whether it be other health problems, relationship issues or financial stress. We all have so much to consider and deal with.
Firstly, I apologise if this is coming off negative, but I think it is important to validate those things because it is real, and it is confronting. If you resonate with any of those things, it is ok. It is normal. And you have every right to feel any of those things. Making sure we feel those feelings, then processing them moving forward, are entirely another thing. With MS it is very important to establish a healthy support network. Whether it be family, friends, or your GP.
It is very important to reach out when you recognise that your feelings aren't in a healthy frame of mind. There is no shame in admitting you need help and that you are not coping. Remember your feelings are always valid, but sometimes our thoughts can be clouded due to the feelings we are feeling, and we just need to touch base to see if there is something that can be done to alleviate those feelings. Pain especially can be a huge factor in clouding our thinking, and that is for all people not just us MS'ers.
There are lots of different techniques like simple tapping, breathing exercises and other mindful thinking exercises. I have heard that positive reinforcement can help, such as being kind to yourself as your body listens to you. For example, if someone criticises us and it hurts our feelings...... we can do that to ourselves as well. We need to be a little forgiving with ourselves and not talk down to ourselves. The mental state can affect the physical state is something I recently learnt from a course that I did.
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