Re: OT: How to deal with anxiety and pass the time?

[Guest guest]

HI ,  I've struggled with this too. I try to focus on other things. I work well with lists, so I'll try to come up with a few things I should do the next day-- example: walk dog for 50 min, vacum living room, epsom salt bath, bake, and then I'll do them throughout the day when I'm feeling well enough. This way I wake up in the morning and there are things I should work on (just like normal healthy people). I also got a Netflix subscription and have movie time pretty much every day. Try to do something you like every day, kind of like your special activity. You have to prepare yourself with the idea that its gonna be awhile, so find a few new hobbies that you can do to occupy yourself (like watch every movie thats won an oscar,-- that type of thing)

 For anxiety I have found that journaling is really helpful.  Its hard to talk to people about how we feel every day and journaling gives me the opportunity to get it off my chest. Yoga and walking has also helped me with this too. I also got a puppy which I wouldn't reccommend for everyone, but for me its given me things to do throughout the day, and has been great companionship. Adopting an older dog from the pound might be a good idea though (less work).

Just try to plan little things for you to do every day and if you dont feel well enough to do them, there is always the next day.Good Luck!Whitney

 

I'm moving away from the cancer patient I am caring for, and someone else will surely appear to take it up. I'm back with the parents and am mentally and physically preparing for whatever may happen with antibiotics. Lot of saddness and anxiety, and not knowing how to pass the time. I want to stop using the computer, but it is so hard to break the habit. ANd it just ends up draining my energy. I tried journaling a little just now, but my hand and forearm make it an unpleasant experience. Neck and brain fog does not like reading either. It seems all I can do is squirm. Any suggestions how to pass the time and gently keep occupied while I try to control fear and depression symptoms?

-- Whitney Schmucker

[Guest guest]

Thanks Whitney. I always write my to-do-list for the next day. Otherwise, I

feel overwhelmed and that I'm forgetting something important. I can't wait til

my brain works well enough to not *have to* do it! =).

Okay...I think tomorrow may just officially kick off a long period of herx life.

I guess I'm ready as I can be. No sense waiting. Otherwise I'll never do it.

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> > I'm moving away from the cancer patient I am caring for, and someone else

> > will surely appear to take it up. I'm back with the parents and am mentally

> > and physically preparing for whatever may happen with antibiotics. Lot of

> > saddness and anxiety, and not knowing how to pass the time. I want to stop

> > using the computer, but it is so hard to break the habit. ANd it just ends

> > up draining my energy. I tried journaling a little just now, but my hand and

> > forearm make it an unpleasant experience. Neck and brain fog does not like

> > reading either. It seems all I can do is squirm. Any suggestions how to pass

> > the time and gently keep occupied while I try to control fear and depression

> > symptoms?

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

> --

> Whitney Schmucker

>

[Guest guest]

hi david,it is hard in the beginning if you are used to more stimulation. my first half year of being sick i kept trying to be engaged, i'd look at art books especially because i felt so sensorily deprived, i was pretty much bedbound. i tried to study old favorite subjects but was so discouraged because my short term memory just spit it all out overnight and i'd stare uncomprehendingly at what i'd read the day before. when i could read i'd try to find something inspiring (i was at the mercy of anyone who'd go to the library for me!) but in the end found the deepest connection to books of those who were suffering and found meaning in their lives anyway, charlotte soloman's big book of art/story, elie weisel, ruwanda, india, novels like that when i could read. i couldn't watch videos, made my brain crazy. to keep from obsessing (about my body, about fear of the future, rehearsing talking to some imaginary doctor who will help me, fear of the way my body feels, going over and over the same thought about something i need to do)..........this is still a big one for me since i am alone most of the week and unable to do much for so many hours of the day. i have a particular radio station i can listen to with headphones for an hour or so, in bed, it is local, a kindly fellow who interviews people in a gentle way. i crave human voices, not heavily produced shows. just another voice there pulls me away from obsessing. i don't really listen but his voice is calming and i sometimes can fall asleep to it. music is very hard, can't handle it, that used to be really hard because i used to sing a lot, but eventually the losses become no big deal. i understand about the writing problem, journaling or computering, i have a lot of tendon damage on my right side. for awhile i had to use a voice activated program for my computer, now that'll slow you down and get you away from that time-slurper!i did listen to some books on tape though it was hard to follow them, so i'd stick with instructions on meditation, any gentle spritiual conversaton of any religion or persuasion, or some of pema chodrun's stuff, especially when you hit the 'no hope' territory. but i was unable to listen much, too hyper-reactive to sound, light, movement, etc. there are good lecture series, like ted, where there isn't lots of music or ads and good interviews. though i rarely get them, we still have dial-up here just five miles from the state capitol & %$*^%. over the years i have gotten used to it more. i have a very simple life, though when you are sick it feels vey intense and complicated! it is amazing how small the amount of stimulation we can live with and still feel like it is a rich and beautiful love-filled life. so perhpas you will have an interesting exploration ahead of you, the best to you on this new journey,xosusie I'm moving away from the cancer patient I am caring for, and someone else will surely appear to take it up. I'm back with the parents and am mentally and physically preparing for whatever may happen with antibiotics. Lot of saddness and anxiety, and not knowing how to pass the time. I want to stop using the computer, but it is so hard to break the habit. ANd it just ends up draining my energy. I tried journaling a little just now, but my hand and forearm make it an unpleasant experience. Neck and brain fog does not like reading either. It seems all I can do is squirm. Any suggestions how to pass the time and gently keep occupied while I try to control fear and depression symptoms?

[Guest guest]

Hi ,If you don't want to interact with your computer, but have access to it, check out pandora.com.It uses the Music Genome project and you can create your own personal 'radio' stations based on a particular artist or piece of music you favor. It's free and quite wonderful.Also, remember to seriously detox and alkalize. That should smooth out the worst of the herx-fest.=)Be well,Léna Thanks Whitney. I always write my to-do-list for the next day. Otherwise, I feel overwhelmed and that I'm forgetting something important. I can't wait til my brain works well enough to not *have to* do it! =). Okay...I think tomorrow may just officially kick off a long period of herx life. I guess I'm ready as I can be. No sense waiting. Otherwise I'll never do it. > > > > > > > I'm moving away from the cancer patient I am caring for, and someone else > > will surely appear to take it up. I'm back with the parents and am mentally > > and physically preparing for whatever may happen with antibiotics. Lot of > > saddness and anxiety, and not knowing how to pass the time. I want to stop > > using the computer, but it is so hard to break the habit. ANd it just ends > > up draining my energy. I tried journaling a little just now, but my hand and > > forearm make it an unpleasant experience. Neck and brain fog does not like > > reading either. It seems all I can do is squirm. Any suggestions how to pass > > the time and gently keep occupied while I try to control fear and depression > > symptoms? > > > > > > > > > > -- > Whitney Schmucker >