Coping Strategies for BFS Stress/Anxiety
- Thread starter Lilly5
- Start date
I had read somewhere, maybe here, to get a new hobby. My old hobbies where running trails, lifting weights, riding dirt bikes, but this crap has reaked havoc on my muscular system, and at this point I am not able to do these. I have not played the guitar in 20 years, but I pulled out my old guitars, which I actually hung on to all those years, and started to play. I have some weakness in my left hand and a tremor in my left arm, but I can still rock and roll. I bought a new guitar, did some modifications to it, and I have been having some fun, which is a word I have not used in a while. It has also been fun because my young daughters love to hang out with me and fumble around with one my exta guitars. This has been very theraputic for me. I used to rough house with my daughters, throw them up and down, swing them around, but that type of activity sends the muscles in my leg and arm into 911 mode. Also, the concentration it takes to play the guitar, allows me to ignore alot of the symptoms.Also, having a *beep*, or two, or three, at the end of the day does help alot, as well has a hot bath, or a jump in a Jacuzzi. The only draw back, drinking causes in increase in the severity of my symptoms the next day, and with the hot tub, you have to get out, and for me the muscles are more active after the bath.
When I first starting having symptoms, I was basketcase and thought the worse. I actually went to see a social worker for stress management counselling to talk to about my stress (since I had a lot of stressful situations I was dealing with). I found this helpful. She put a lot of things into perspective for me. I have also slowed down a bit (I`m an Type A personality).I find I also need to exercise to help me deal with stress. I run a few times a week and I took up soccer again. I also just started yoga this week.I also have 3 kids including a baby which is a nice distraction for me. The other thing I did was stay off the internet. Whenever I have concerns, I always come to this forum and ask questions. There are a lot of great people on here who have been a great help to me.
AllGoodHere
Well-known member
QiGong - especially the breathing & meditation, help when I can discipline myself to do it. Sometimes it is too hard to let it go and empty my mind - esp. when the CFS is really bad. I do tai chi forms sometimes, a little yoga (no where near as much as I used to), swimming (but lazily-not the 30-40 laps like I used to), a little conditioning when the syndrome allows me: it all helps.If I could afford it, I'd go for physical therapy once a week: cranial-sacral works well for stress relief and also acupuncture if you can find a good practitioner.I like the idea of picking up a hobby and if I didn't have such a tight schedule that sounds great. I used to draw, do photography, and it would be nice to get back to it some day. Right now I help with a non-profit but lately it seems more stress producing than relieving..................
SlavinBreeze
Well-known member
Fear of own death is basic. Nothing gonna help us if we can't deal with our own basic fear: the end of life. I lost everything which I have had in the past except my knowledgeable about music. Awful fear started 4 years ago when I have noticed fasciculations today is ancient history. Am I happy? Of course not. BFS was point of no return for me. Living is just surviving. For all: try to be happy, eat less, excersise more, get a pet, falling in love, be religious if you believer...