Breaking Free From Pain by Shari Emami

Author:Shari Emami
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shari Emami
Published: 2023-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5

Navigating the Emotional Rollercoaster of Fibromyalgia Diagnosis: Coping Strategies and Supportive Solutions

When you first received your diagnosis, you were probably shocked like I was. Maybe you were even relieved because you finally found out why you had been experiencing symptoms for so long. After being in pain for months not knowing what the cause is and then finally getting an answer, can stir up all types of emotions. You can feel peace, you can feel thankful that you have answers now. However, you probably don’t want to hear the news that it’s lifelong and that you’ll be on medication for the rest of your life. Maybe, like me, you oppose medication and want to try a more natural solution. Remember, it’s your body, don’t make any rash decisions yet in your treatment plan. Always be gentle and kind to yourself and take your time. This is your decision to make on your mode of treatment. Try a bit of each treatment and give it a fair chance. See what works for you and what doesn’t. Also, circumstances may have shifted right now in your life, but it’s not the end of the world. You got this.

I want you to repeat to yourself that you are stronger than this. You will not be defined by fibromyalgia. Every day you practice self-care is one step closer to healing and relieving the pain. It does take time and you will feel a whole variety of emotions during this time, including anger, grief, depression, and even anxiety. You will grieve your old life before pain, but you don’t have to let that emotion define you. Your life will change after fibromyalgia, but you will learn how to take care of yourself and check-in with your emotions. Your life may even end up in a different yet better direction. You can’t predict the future, so don’t give up and don’t assume the worst.

I am not a licensed therapist, but the following activity helped me greatly. Now, I want you to try this exercise for me. Try to visualize for a moment what you're thinking of when dealing with your immediate emotion, whether it’s anger, anxiety, etc. What is your automatic reaction? Then, as an exercise, try to draw that emotion. For example, if you're anxious, try to draw what it would look like if your anxiety were an object or a series of images. Make it as descriptive as possible. Use colored markers, pencils, and the like. Get creative and use your feelings to draw that image. If you're feeling sad, put it out there as an emotion. Unleash your inner artist and release that emotion into a personified thing on paper. I want you to practice this anytime you're feeling a negative emotion. Go back to the page where you drew that image and remember it. Now that you have done that, you’ll always have a picture in your mind of what you're feeling instead of dealing with your emotions in a negative pattern.

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