Skip to main content

Posts

Explaining Chronic Invisible Illness/Is It Worth It?

A friend in one of my Facebook chronic pain groups posted this question for discussion: "What would you like to say to those who don't think our pain isn't that bad and/or we are faking our illness?" I couldn't answer right away. I didn't know what to say and wanted to chew on it for awhile. Quite frankly, I've grown wearing of trying to make others understand. What do you say when you've been through the ringer with doctor after doctor insinuating you are a hypochondriac until they finally find evidence on an imaging study that proves otherwise? I can tell you what my inner two year old would like to say (you can find that here ). But what, if anything, can be said that would truly help them understand what we, the chronically ill, face every day?  What to say to friends and family that roll their eyes and think you are "lazy" because you are unable to get out of bed until 9am. That just because you had decent sleep the ...
Recent posts

How Does Hypnosis Control Pain?

How does Hypnosis Control Pain? You have seen extreme Yoga practitioners do it, pass large needles through their body parts with no pain and no bleeding.  You have read how people under hypnosis can undergo dental procedures with no pain medication of any type.  People with chronic pain seem to be able to reduce their suffering significantly utilizing hypnotic techniques and in some cases actually speed the bodies healing process.  HOW DO THEY DO THAT?????? The process is actually very simple, by using a mindfulness relaxation discipline such as hypnosis a person is able to reduce their blood pressure to area of the body and make it go numb.  Much the same as when you fall asleep on your arm the wrong way and cut the circulation off and the arm goes numb.  This permits such procedures such as dental surgery to be carried out without pain and very little bleeding. When it comes to such things as back pain the more it hurts the more the muscl...

WANT TO STOP CREATING DISEASE?

Disease, even hereditary disease, is not set in stone. Just because one may have a genetic tendency for this or that illness,  does not guarantee one will ever develop that condition. The outcome is entirely in your hands. Let me say that again. The outcome is entirely in your hands. One does not HAVE to develop heart disease, diabetes or cancer, even if the whole family had it, died from it or is currently under doctor's care for it. Genes may predispose someone for a weakness. However, our own ENVIRONMENTS & LIFESTYLES have more power over  possible disease development or health maintenance than any hereditary trait. Thought life, stress, emotions, spiritual expectation, foods, and lifestyle habits are the variables that change health outcomes, regardless of genes. We each have the ability to stop disease from ever coming around. We still won't live forever.  But we can live an optimally health life IF we are willing to make c...

Tackle your Low Back Pain!

       Low Back Pain, almost everybody has had it at least once in their life. Sometimes, it gets better on its own like a cold, sometimes it does not go away and becomes your worst nightmare. Just some facts about Low Back Pain (LBP): LBP is the second most common reason for visits at doctors' offices Experts estimate that as much as 80% of the population will experience a back problem at some time in their lives Most cases of back pain are mechanical or non-organic—meaning they are not caused by serious conditions, such as inflammatory arthritis, infection, fracture or cancer. So first of all, how do we prevent having LBP? Don't stay in one position for too long. When you stand or sit for an extended period of time, some of your back/core muscles are constantly in tension and metabolic wastes build up as a result; meanwhile, other muscles that are not being activated will in turn lose strength and flexibility. Guess what, both these...

Things That I am NOT Sorry for Anymore

I had a very unpleasant "clubbing" experience this weekend that opened my eyes and reinforced a few things about my personality that I have been denying. I won't really go into details because I'm not a fan of people trashing their friends online, but just know that it was a sucky-ass time, I hated every moment of it, and I will NEVER go clubbing like that EVER again for the rest of my days. Let's just say that the night ended with me dropping some friends off in Capital Hill (Seattle, WA), getting called a "bitch" and a "pussy" by some of said friends, and then having a full blown, hyperventilating, sobbing panic attack alone in my car as I attempted to get home (New rule: pull over during panic attacks. I was panicking at the time and just wanted to get home.). I don't do drunken crowds of people spilling off of sidewalks while I attempt to drive through with people yelling at me in the back seat, it would seem. So, that be...

The Importance of Choosing a Therapist

It's a new year folks, and many of you are thinking about looking into your long-standing problems in relationships, depression, anxiety, and of course the list goes on as does the unique story of each person's life. There are generally two ways to find a therapist or doctor: a personal or professional referral, or a web-search. I'd like to talk a little about these options, and I am starting with a bias. I think you should be looking for people who have trained at a Psychoanalytic Institute, such as the San Diego Psychoanalytic Center, and I hope to convince you as to why. From either referral source (website or personal), the message to you is: "this person is the best," so to speak. Friends, colleagues, or other doctors may provide the referral in a way that suggests you are receiving a special password. Many providers present themselves as "evidence-based," using "proven" methods; with the implication being that other (u...

Condo Dog Fights back and Wins!

I found this very interesting story about a women with a medical disability who loved her condo dog. Some people with a disability medication or constant doctors visits and some people find relief with a therapy dog. That's what was helping one South Florida woman till her condo association said the dog had to go. And that's when Help me Howard with Patrick Fraser stepped in. WSVN -- To many people, their dog is a life changer. To some people, their dog is a life saver. Claribel Ruiz: "I need that companionship of my dog." Claribel's dog is named Sky. Claribel Ruiz: "Because she is like the sky. She means everything to me." Claribel suffers from anxiety and depression. Sky is a registered therapy dog, helping Claribel like medication or a psychiatrist might help another person. Claribel Ruiz: "The dog helps me when anxiety kicks in. When I want to run out of the house, when I feel like I can't stay in...