I can’t tell you how touched and encouraged I have been by all the wonderful messages and comments that have come to me since my last post. Whether here on the blog, or outside of it, I’ve felt hugely supported by the stories you’ve told me and the advice you’ve offered. The experience of a chronic illness is a very isolating one, particular when several years of it have passed, and one wonders whether one still has any right to the sympathy and help of others. Thanks to my virtual friends, I don’t have to feel alone at all, or lacking in sympathy and solidarity. I do appreciate that more than I can say.
I’m actually going to take a brief blog break now, in order to follow up on some helpful conversations I’m having off line and the suggestions that you’ve all been kind enough to make. There are several things I’d now like to try or think about.
I’ll be back next week. Thanks and virtual hugs to you all again. You are the best.
Enjoy your break and hope you will be feeling better soon.
Comment by Kathleen — February 28, 2011 @ 9:37 pm |
Enjoy the break–I hope it brings you back somewhat restored!
Comment by Lilian Nattel — February 28, 2011 @ 10:38 pm |
Take care, Litlove! See you when you return!
Comment by Jenny — March 1, 2011 @ 1:26 am |
Aw, Litlove I’m a bit late to reading your previous post but just wanted to send you some hugs. I hope whatever steps you are taking to get well work for you. Anxiety is just horrible. Take good care.
Comment by iliana — March 1, 2011 @ 2:30 am |
I don’t know how I missed your last post, but I’m chiming in late to send you a very big hug. Someone mentioned reiki for anxiety and I can recommend it if you happen to know of a good practitioner. My mother had a very stressful caring job in the UK for a few months and arrived to see me shaking, weepy and with shooting pains in her legs. A friend of mine who is also a reiki healer gave her a reiki session and her symptoms vanished.
Comment by charlotteotter — March 1, 2011 @ 6:10 am |
I’ll be sending soothing thoughts your way, laced with chocolate.
Feel good. I look forward to your return.
Comment by melissa romo — March 1, 2011 @ 6:28 pm |
Ive been through your experience.Your courage is being: tested so go on .Do not hesitate We all wish you
a prompt recovery
Comment by victor — March 2, 2011 @ 12:26 am |
Isn’t the blog world wonderful? I also greatly appreciate all the support I’ve gotten from you and others. Have a great and productive break, and we’ll look forward to seeing you again.
Comment by Dorothy W. — March 2, 2011 @ 3:29 am |
Coming to these two posts a little late, but still wanted to send you a virtual hug. Take care of yourself, Litlove, and I hope you feel better soon.
Comment by Michelle — March 2, 2011 @ 8:09 am |
The biology of anxiety, depression and chronic fatigue all have a great deal in common, including serotonin depletion, which is why antidepressants often work for all three. But there is no one solution that applies to everyone. I hope you find what works for you.
Comment by The Querulous Squirrel — March 2, 2011 @ 9:27 pm |
Oh Litlove – I come to this post late, and so sorry to hear you are down! Hope the break here has been a time of rejuvenation. Hugs and hugs to you.
Drugs were the answer for me. Every now and then I wean myself off, thinking “I am strong enough now!” but hit the wall after a bit. Hopefully I won’t be so foolish again (though I probably will be). Anxiety is AWFUL, so I hope you have figured it out. I am also a firm believer in acupuncture and exercise – simply because all these things worked for me. We are all different – however – so I hope you have found your mix.
Take great care of yourself!
Comment by qugrainne — March 3, 2011 @ 2:05 am |
I also came late to the blog – but I’m adding my heartfelt wishes for a speedy recovery. I’ve been (and I’m still on) the same road as you. It’s debilitating and scary. Do hope you’ve found the answer to your problems – the doctor sounds nice.
Comment by Sue — March 3, 2011 @ 7:44 pm |
I hope you are feeling better! I’ve suffered from anxiety also, and though I’ve found no magic pill, I have found some measure of relief in acupuncture, yoga, meditation, exercise, and the occasional Xanax. Hope you find your combination of effective therapies soon
Comment by gentle reader — March 5, 2011 @ 3:42 am |
I hope you get some good rest and recreation, litlove, and that spring will bring days of better health.
Comment by Polaris — March 6, 2011 @ 5:16 am |
I am worried I havent read a new post from you.I understand your anxiety and I also try to put on some weight.
You can open your heart to someone near you.I also have a treasure:my Faith I pray to God and leave my life in his
hands and that soothes me.Do not despair dear friend,from far off Chile I send you a warm hug.Breathe in deeply,
clear your mind from any thought and smile…Life is worth living it.
Comment by victor — March 6, 2011 @ 12:21 pm |
Kathleen, Lilian, Jenny – thank you so much for your lovely, kind wishes. I do feel better for the break. I love blogging, but sometimes time away from the computer can be restorative.
iliana – thank you for your lovely comment. I’ve really appreciated the solidarity of my blog friends!
Charlotte – now THAT is a recommendation. I will look me out a reiki practitioner. It’s worth a try, isn’t it?
melissa – aw bless you! I hope you’ve had a good past week too.
Victor – thank you for your kind and supportive words. You’re quite right that it is a question of courage. Not the sword and shield kind, but the gentle, quiet accepting kind (equally difficult, of course). And thank you for coming along to check up on me – just as I was in the middle of writing another post! I do feel better for my break, but I’ve missed my blogging friends and it’s nice to be back.
Dorothy – it IS a wonderful place to be. Thank you for your lovely message and I hope you’ve been having a good week too, and that your journeys have gone off as successfully as possible.
Michelle – thank you! All virtual hugs gratefully received. I am feeling a bit better now and certainly rested after my week away. But I missed you all!
Squirrel – that was really helpful to mention serotonin. I’ve been looking up natural ways to boost serotonin production and adding them into the things I do. Thank you for that!
qugrainne – I have found such comfort in knowing I am not alone in struggling with anxiety! It is a beast, and frankly if you have found something that works for you, then I think it’s perfectly fine just to keep using it. It is, as you so rightly say, finding a mix of activities that solves the problem, I think. I’m still looking. But thanks to my blogging friends I have many more avenues to try now. Thank you for being so helpful!
Sue – bless you for such a kind comment. And I have found real comfort in knowing I’m not alone in having to deal with this. I’ve had a very relaxing week and now feel I’ve got lots more ideas to try, thanks to people’s helpful suggestions here.
Gentle Reader – it warms my heart to think that the people who suffer from anxiety, like you and Qugrainne and Sue and many others, are all such lovely, charming people. Does that sound silly? But somehow it seems that it’s a gentle person’s problem and that’s at least a camp I am happy to be in! And you’re right, I think, that a mix of things is needed to combat it. I’m working on that and hopefully will find some good solutions soon.
Polaris – oh thank you, that’s so nice of you. Spring is always boosting to the morale – at the moment here it is freezing and horrible, so probably that isn’t helping! A bit of warm sunshine and we’ll all feel better.
Victor – look back to your other comment, and you’ll see I’ve replied to this one there.
Comment by litlove — March 6, 2011 @ 6:32 pm |