Nikki acceptance, chronic pain, coping, fibromyalgia, wellbeing

The life lesson fibromyalgia gave me about happiness

Fibromyalgia and chronic pain, in general, are extremely hard to cope with long-term. We learn some serious resiliency, often the hard way. Sort of get sick of needing to be resilient sometimes. After that rocky road, and falling off a few cliffs there, I learned some things about happiness. Not like I am particularly wise. … Continue reading The life lesson fibromyalgia gave me about happiness

Nikki acceptance, chronic illness, chronic pain, coping, disability, society

Disabled: what a waste of your Potential, Smarty-Pants

There is something about migraine disease hitting in your more productive years as a human that is an insult to some people (starting for me when I was 20 and full-on chronic mid-20's and going on strong into my 40's- but certainly not always the case in others). Or maybe chronic pain itself is the … Continue reading Disabled: what a waste of your Potential, Smarty-Pants

Nikki acceptance, chronic illness, chronic pain, coping, disability, Discrimination, Invisible disability awareness, society, stigma

Invisible disability and self-imposed stigma we learn from others

I read a post called The Bizarre Prevalence of Invisible Illness Imposter Syndrome and the author uses different terms and language to describe what I have felt as well. Essentially it is this pattern: With an invisible disability we mask our symptoms for a variety of reasons. To cope and manage working. So we will … Continue reading Invisible disability and self-imposed stigma we learn from others

Nikki acceptance, chronic illness, chronic pain, coping, wellbeing

Radical acceptance with chronic pain and illness

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/22/well/mind/radical-acceptance-suffering.html So radical acceptance sounds like something I would say as a kid. 'Totally Radical, man'. And when I read about the concept it actually is something I haven't been shown how to do by a psychologist but rather something I have taught myself to do over the years with chronic pain. I like to … Continue reading Radical acceptance with chronic pain and illness

Nikki acceptance, chronic illness, chronic pain, coping, wellbeing

Chronic illness and the loss of sense of self

With the loss of work and even before that, with the loss of self-worth, my sense of self, disintegrated and I faltered on how to repair it. I didn't for some time. I just coasted. It has only been over the last four years I have really focused on repair and restructuring that real core … Continue reading Chronic illness and the loss of sense of self

Nikki acceptance, chronic illness, chronic pain, coping

Chronic pain: The indestructible within

Help me, it's like the walls are caving inSometimes I feel like giving upBut I just can'tIt isn't in my bloodLaying on the bathroom floor, feeling nothingI'm overwhelmed and insecure, give me somethingI could take to ease my mind slowlyJust have a drink and you'll feel betterJust take her home and you'll feel betterKeep telling … Continue reading Chronic pain: The indestructible within