Re: Re: anxiety/neuro Lyme

June 11, 2006

Thanks for your post, ! I always appreciate hearing about an

experience that is similar to my own; makes me feel less crazy. The info

about visualizing exercise is very interesting and helpful; thank you. I

have the same problem with trying to go to sleep at night; not only does my

mind race and bounce around, but I'm hypervigilant. The least little noise

and I react, nearly jumping out of my skin (thank you, lyme anxiety. . .).

I sleep with TV on all night, and have some favorite cable channels that are

good for sleeping (the Weather Channel; Nick at Night, etc.). Oh, how I

have wished for an entire channel just devoted to being a relaxing

background for sleep or whatever. And oh, to have the bucks to start one. .

.. maybe next time around! Thanks again for sharing, Louise

Re: [ ] Re: anxiety/neuro Lyme

> Can I share some things that help me?

>

> When I get the anxious/depressing/jumpy/squirrelley/ heebejeebies, I sit

> in a comfy chair, close my eyes, take deep, even breaths, and focus on

> relaxing my face, scalp, neck, shoulders and jaw. Then I slowly bring the

> corners of my mouth into a smile. Even when I'm not focusing on the whole

> enchilada, as I go about my day, I remind myself to smile. I even force

> laughter, chuckles, giggles - whatever I can come up with.

>

> It tricks the brain, starts a positive biofeedback thing, and takes the

> edge off the neuro symptoms. They're still there - just less intense. I

> believe smiling and laughter is also capable of boosting the immune system

> and helping to ultimately beat the bug. It feels foreign at first, but

> over time it gets more natural. Sometimes I even mean it.

>

> If I'm not on doxy, and it's not raining cats and dogs, I step outside and

> get a few minutes of sun on my face too - that's a big help.

>

> Exercise helps too. If I feel too crappy to do much exercise, I close my

> eyes and picture myself exercising. It has to be a clear visualization

> with lots of details. The subconscious can't tell the difference between

> that which is real, and that which is clearly imagined. So you get a lot

> of the same benefits from just visualizing. Really. There's actual

> science behind this.

>

> For sleeping, and shutting off the noise in my head, I put on a DVD of

> some movie I've seen many times - something I like that's not overly

> stimulating, but pleasant. It has to be something I've seen before so I

> don't mind sleeping through it. " Sleepless in Seattle, " or " Oh Brother

> Where art Thou " are a couple of my favorite sleeping movies. They focus

> my mind on something other than the runaway train of crap that wants to

> run through it, covers the endless noise in my ears, and it allows me to

> fall asleep.

>

> Hope this helps someone besides me,

>

June 11, 2006

Hypervigilant. Now that's an apt description.

I had to give my chickens away, because every time my asthmatic husband wheezed

during the night, I'd go FLYING out of bed, certain that a cougar, or a fisher

cat, or even a raccoon was raiding the *locked, secure* hen house. Even now, I

hear ANYTHING outside, and I'm sure it's something eating my non-existant

chickens... until I'm fully awake and remind myself I don't have chickens.

It's so much better than last year, though, I think by this time next year, I'll

be all better. Maybe I can even get new chickens.

Thanks for sharing. Nice to know I'm not the only one.

Louise Brown <planetzz@...> wrote: Thanks for your post, ! I

always appreciate hearing about an