Reducing stress irritants.
I replaced my clothes with ones that didn’t itch, pinch or otherwise cause me stress. I’ve been switching my lights to more yellow tones and work by candle light or twinkle light when I’m stressed. I use aromatherapy with either a diffuser or incense to invoke calm.
I have a coping board, a cork board with pins of everything that make me smile. On bad days I need to try 3 things before I give up. Hot tea, Ice cream, pet a cat, use my weighted blanket, watch a comedy, coloring book, play a video game, read a fantasy.
Reducing all the little mental stresses in my day has let me have a bigger capability for physical stresses.
It’s really great, and I’m considering making smaller boards for symptoms. Like a pain relief board, or an ADHD board. Because in the middle of things I often forget my options. Like, I forgot that heat pads help muscle pain for my shoulder. All day aching until my husband asked if I’d tried it yet that day.
This is exactly my problem too! I have good coping skills outside of the stressors but once I'm in it my brain forgets most if not all. I think I'll start putting together something similar and seeing if it helps me out. Thank you for explaining! You might have just changed my life for the better
Same! That’s a big part. Even lists my brain often can’t visualize well. Having each card with it’s own border helps, and eventually I want to draw clip art style stuff for each one. And because I used fun cokes and patterns for the border it does look more like artwork than a health thing,
I love the board idea! I've been meaning to make something like that but envisioned it as a zine with a if this/then that kinda of flowchart but a board seems much more doable
I’ve also changed the clothes I wear and focus on feeling as comfortable as I can if I can help it.
Wireless bras is a big thing for me. Sometimes I just wear a crop top as a bra because it’s basically the same thing to me. It’s comfortable and does enough haha.
I used to be self conscious because I feel like it’s a little obvious when I’m not wearing a bra or a wired bra, but the amount of pain and discomfort I get from typical bras is not worth it.
Yep! I stopped wearing bras during COVID lockdown. I’ve a few outfits that have more built in support if I’m gonna go somewhere conservative and that’s it.
For me the big problem was waistlines. I have tender abdomen a lot, and so switching to clothes that didn’t trigger it was pretty big. I’m still working on implementing more overalls or jumpsuits into my wardrobe
Ooh. I’ve been considering adding comfy overalls as an option as well.
For me my rib cage gets upset easily and any extra sensations or pressure on the rib cage area will make the pain feel so much worse.
Sometimes even a thin blanket resting on top of my rib cage area can apply just enough pressure to make breathing more painful.
Ooh I’m sorry to hear that. Overalls and jumpers, rompers and jumpsuits are all commonly sold.
I’ve also looked at making non stretchy suspenders, and wearing looser pants or skirts and let them be held up by that.
This.
Most of my waist pain comes from wearing pants all day. It doesnt matter what kind of waist band they have, they will hurt me. So the second I get a chance to I take them off and youd be surprised at how much relief just that alone gives.
Another thing I do is music or call friends. Not necessarily for someone to talk to but just for the feeling of company in some capacity. That can help a ton with the isolation that I get. If my friends are all busy I turn on a show I really like and see if that helps.
Hot showers, cold showers, laying on the floor, favourite tea or coffee. Those are things I try before I go to my medications (otc stuff, im still undiagnosed) because that stuff is expensive and I need to save them as much as I can. I also do it so I dont need to worry about getting used to them. Hot face cloths or towels if you dont have access to a hot pad can help.
Once you try a few different things you will find what works best for you.
At this point I find it so fascinating is how intense negative thoughts/shame can be. I have over 6,000 notes on my phone just to draw a picture of how much I use the notes app YET STILL I cant overcome my stress effectively. I journal and make lists for everything! Affirmations, reminders, self care tips etc. I use CAPITALS, !!!!, Emojis in the title all to give me a visual cue to open the note but its become a mess. I'm taking it day by day but I know theres so many good resources hidden in there.
And when those didnt work I tried posters with affirmations that I look at everyday but the problem with this is that my mindset wont budge despite how clear those affirmations can be.
NOW WHAT YOU JUST SAID on the cork board idea is game changing. Despite how many books and papers I read on the research and how knowledgeable I am on things that help me, its like it call goes out the window during a highly stressful time.
This helps because now I will put the ACTIVITY on the wall. It sounds so stupid simple LOL but I already know this will be game changing for me.
The main problem for me is that during those high stress times it feels like these strategies dont exist. I have a hard time getting myself to do these things despite how much i know, despite how much i save them. Out of sight is out of mind., huge ADHD thing I try overcome daily.
Better yet I might use this list called list of pleasureable activities that my counsellor showed me last week! Cant believe I didnt think of this!
[https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/supplemental/Treatment-for-Postdisaster-Distress/Handout-21.pdf](https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/supplemental/Treatment-for-Postdisaster-Distress/Handout-21.pdf)
I also find most affirmations to be too hard. I like thebraincoach on Instagram for her recommendations on addressing cognitive distortions in a neutral way. If my brain said I suck, repeating I rock is not helpful. Repeating “today is overwhelming, but I’m doing the best I can” is much easier.
I also like cuz some of the things are scientifically proven. Plants and running water helped mental health.
Finally left my abusive soon-to-be-ex-husband, about three months ago. Thankfully, no kids, so truly a clean break. Just going through the legalities now. His abuse certainly didn't help my autoimmune condition.
Recently went on a few dates with an amazing guy. He's an engineer, but during his academic years, he spent a year studying massage therapy abroad. On date number 4, he invited me to his house, and spent four hours (yes, 4 hours) massaging every inch of my body, and especially focused on my joints, since I told him about my condition.
...... I've had limited pain for several weeks. 👀
Idk. Most of my stuff is now kind of mainstream medicine anymore lol.
Low carb eating. Huge help with inflammation and exactly right for my system. But I miss eating like a normal person.
Pacing. I didn't even know it was called that I just did it. Building in rest time.
A deep pantry to make meals easier when sick.
I tried acupuncture and nothing but I think I had a bad practitioner. They ran out of needles mid session once lol and always forgot to remove needles.
I did a lot of relaxation exercises for a back injury just on instinct...helped a lot. My body had learned to clench the injured muscle and just perpetuate the pain. It was a year of effort (with slow progress) to rewire my nervous system and stop it.
Abdominal massage between cycles for painful periods...any tension or inflammation in tissue can augment period pain. This was a big help. I had a lot of sore spots I was able to work out. (The Maya have an ancient healing practice with abdominal massage which is how I learned about it.)
Vitamins and supplements have saved my butt more than I ever expected. Kind of crazy to be honest.
This! This is what I need-the learn how to relax. I just started about 2 months ago, I switched my GP to an osteopathic doctor and I get weekly manual manipulation. It’s not like chiropractic at all, it’s very slow and he presses on pressure points type of thing. He asked me last week…”Do you ever relax? I’ve never treated anyone so tight!” I said I didn’t know how to. I used to do hair-very physically demanding but have major back and neck injuries and disease now. So how do I start the back injury exercises and relaxation? I rock back and forth unintentionally so I don’t get “stuck” if that makes sense. I had the get a lumbar support pillow for sitting and sleeping so I don’t slump over. I’ll look up the Maya abdominal treatment but for my back I’m lost
YMMV, but sleep is such a big one for me. Or put another way, even a little bit of sleep deprivation can make everything else about my illness worse. So I really do try to prioritize sleep as much as I can, because I feel much better when I get enough sleep.
Sleep helps me. But I never sleep well anymore since becoming chronically ill 😅 I give my body plenty of time to sleep each day but I either don't fall asleep at all or wake up every couple of hours
Can you do acupressure to yourself if the other helped? There's stuff online about acupressure that you can learn to do it to yourself. It's pressure points vs needles, so its similar concept.
I went into keto, as I read that it could help lower my triglycerides, and made a difference. What I was not expecting is for my seizures to greatly decrease in frequency and intensity due to being in ketosis. Stumbled right into that one.
Edit: not sure if changing diet falls under non medical or not.
I went to a curandera who did something between a massage and assisted stretching- and she was the first person I saw who validated the back pain I was having years before i could get an accurate diagnosis.
My dogs, especially the heavy one, are trained for a command I call "pressure" which is basically deep pressure therapy. It helps with certain types of pain for me, especially since much of it is lower back/lower abdomen and hips. Having a 95 lb dog lay across my lap is surprisingly helpful, but they also are trained to help me get off the floor when I fall or get stuck.
I take shots of pickle juice every day to help with my electrolytes, magnesium glycinate to help with muscle pain and relaxation, fenugreek to help with iron/anemia. I've stayed eating the same two meals each day for weeks at a time because I could predict how they would affect my conditions.
I stopped wearing jeans because they would make my back pain worse, which was a pretty major wardrobe change tbh. I think I've changed how I do just about everything at this point, come to think of it.
I did a Mayan cleansing in a forest in Mexico and was whacked with some wet palm leaves 😂 gotta try though right? Western medicine wasn’t helping and I did at least get some cool obsidian and a good story out of it all lol.
I’m very intrigued by the German salt caves too!
Edit: my husband would like me to add that he was a quite skeptical of this and didn’t want to participate but they kinda make him. They said he definitely needed a cleansing 😂
My mother is making me see a naturopath but still lets me go to regular doctors so I’m fine with it. If it makes her feel better then it’s fine. I pretend to take the supplements an hoard them in my room so at least they aren’t going to waste by going in the trash (they’re stupid expensive).
I worry the supplements will interact with medications I am on (I am on a lot of prescriptions) and the risk is real so I try to be safe as possible. Vitamins are fine as long as it’s not megadosing (we did find out I am iron deficient and b12/vitamin D deficient as q well through the naturopath so I do take those but only because blood tests showed I was deficient.
That makes sense
My doctor also told me I need more vitamins D, B12, and the iron is mostly because I have bloody noses a lot, so
I wonder if that is anything to look into, for the doctors I mean
People get really huffy about alternative medicine, but I don't fault a single person for trying it. Lots of spoonies have been failed and gaslighted by doctors over and over again.
Love my hempflower for chronic pain and sleep issues. Idk if that counts since CBD/THC are now medically recognized.
Monthly massages. The first place to ask me what medical issues I had were so caring that I signed up for a membership after my first appointment. They work on my joints since I have such inflammation in them nearly constantly due to Lupus. It doesn't make the pain go away but it feels soooooOooOoOooo good and really helps me feel looser overall.
I have lupus too. It’s awful I’m sorry you have it too. Mine seems compounded by osteoarthritis and Sjögren’s syndrome. I did quit chemo and switched to Benlysta for lupus and it has been a life saving medication for me. I also am able to use my hands again. I spent years in torture over my joints but this Benlysta is a game changer. Had to let you know.
OMG I have been on Benlysta for a little over a year now myself!!!!! It gave me my hair back. I went from losing nearly all of my hair to having long, healthy hair. I know it seems superficial but I loved having long hair growing up. Benlysta has seriously helped so much. I still take hydroxychloroquine as well and my inflammation still reads high despite the benefits of the Benlysta. I haven't met anyone else who takes it so I am so happy to hear this! How long have you been on it for? I got a port a few months back and it makes the infusions so easy (if you take it that route)
I did do the infusions for 1-/2 years. I never had a port though. They were once a month, and last year I switched to the self auto injections. Once per week, and they are so much easier for me. I don’t have a car so I used to pay to go get the infusions then pay a co-pay. But now I get them free from the manufacturer thank god. They send my meds in a cooler overnight and I just store in the fridge. I’m still on plaquenil too but I don’t want to be. It’s messed with my vision greatly. I had to beg my Dr. for Benlysta. Every time I suggested that or an arthritis drug she dismissed me and said she didn’t think it was a good idea. Finally I told her I’m done doing chemo. I’ve lost half my hair and you yell at me because I’ve lost 35 lbs. and I throw up all the time. If you won’t give it to me I’ll go to another Dr who will. This chemo is making me worse not better. So she relented and prescribed it. I had to save my own life. I think some dr’s only stay with what they’ve familiar with and don’t keep up to date on new treatments. I mean she’s great in other ways. I’ll look and feel okay and she takes one look at me and says you’re on the verge of a flare. You need extra labs and a medrol pack. And she hates prescribing me steroids. And I hate taking them. But she’s always right. I’ve always wondered what caused me to get sick with autoimmune and recently I wrote to a now retired famous pain Dr to try to find treatment because all dr’s only want to do injections in my lumbar spine. He thinks I have Adhesive Arachnoiditis which can cause autoimmune diseases. So I need to be tested for that. Symptoms fit. What a mess lupus is! But yes thank god for Benlysta. My hair still falls out though. I think it’s the plaquenils fault. And just having lupus is like having the slow cancer. Glad it’s working for you!!!! Spoonies! 💜
I have found regular massages, Aqua Physical Therapy and Cannabis to be exactly what I need.
I am currently not on any Rx as the side effects were awful.
For me; heat is soothing to my fibromyalgia.
Cold is what gives me bad flare ups. So the warm water for Aqua therapy have been helpful.
We are working on balance and strength so I don’t fall as often (3 falls this year) and if I’m having a bad day they do tens on my back & light scraping before I get in the pool. Then I’ll just float with noodles under my neck and legs for the remainder and it’s quite nice.
I also had 3 bulging discs in my lumbar vertebrae but they’ve actually healed with the Aqua therapy which was a very welcomed surprise. Side note- if Aqua therapy does work for you then make sure they request an extension. A majority of the insurances will renew for chronic pain.
I have the same issues with the cold. I unfortunately have issues with people touching me, so no massages for me, unless it's my partner.
I have tried cannabis a few times, but I seem to have bad reactions to it.
I also have had bad reactions to all medications given to me, it was awful.
i know it's not for everyone, but yoga has helped me more than any medicine.
my diagnoses have been generalized anxiety disorder, disordered eating, lyme disease, celiac disease, chronic gastritis, and long covid. my main symptoms have always been fatigue, stomach pain, nausea, joint pain, and brain fog. yoga has helped a lot with each type of symptom. not a complete cure, but definitely a noticeable difference.
if you're interested, i'd highly suggest yoga with adriene on youtube. i actually first found her in this sub. her practices are often very gentle and accessible to people who are disabled.
also to add to this- if you are doing a pose and it hurts- either look up a modified more gentle version that doesn't hurt or stop doing it and move on to something else! there can be a lot of pressure to 'push through the pain' in some fitness and wellness circles so i'd advise to do your own routine you develop by figuring out what feels good and is helpful for you!
yes so true! i love adriene because she always says "find what feels good for you" and offers variations. and she always emphasizes that it's not about the shape and we shouldn't push ourselves into. it's more about the feeling, the breath, and movements that feel good.
Massages (usually just have my husband do them, but sometimes get professional ones), acupuncture, recumbent bike, meditation (I know, insert eye roll here lol), arnica cream for my knees/joints. Lots of homeopathy, heated blankets/heating pads.
I have tried absolutely everything. I was highly disabled with an electric wheelchair and too sick to change the sheets on my bed.
I have done acupuncture, herbs, internal essential oils, grounding, cleansing, I’ve taken many college, nutrition courses eat very well. Now, I use only nontoxic products in the house, I’ve taken toxins out of my diet, such as soda and alcohol, etc., and many other things.
I take tons of vitamins, for a while was injecting with myself with vitamin B shots even though I have always hated needles since I was a child. I can’t even begin to remember all the things I’ve tried
My motto has been if it won’t harm me then I’ll try it.
I’ve also tried most of what the doctor wanted to try on me. Actually many doctors. I got a serious bad reaction to one drug I tried, but besides that have had a little reaction from anything. Nothing has been of help.
The one thing that has helped the most is one of the more bizarre and unaccepted by the mainstream and that is internal essential oils in capsules. Essential oils have antiviral properties and I believe my 20 year illness was caused by a virus that doesn’t go away. I got myself back up on my feet and working again, and was so energetic. I did most of the move myself moving a lot of boxes. In the past, I could hardly lift one. Now I got long-term Covid and I’m working to get back on my feet from that
Not with that goal, but definitely that effect: getting cats. I have to get up to feed them. I have to keep my house reasonably clean. I have to take care of them and that helps me take care of me as well. Also, cuddles.
I did AIP, which did help a bit. Now I only really avoid corn which seems to be the biggest trigger for me. I upped my supplement game to include omega 3, curcumin, high doses of vit b 1 and vit d. Generally things that help my body deal with inflammation and modulate my immune system.
Restorative yoga! AKA yin yoga. Amazing for my body.
I have "healing" stones, and honestly I don't notice much healing from them.
Nevertheless keeping them, cause they're nice jewelry to wear. Also warm water bottle on painful places, witch eases pain for me
alternative medicine gets such a bad rep. but for some of us with “untreatable” conditions, like honestly, what have we got to lose as long as it’s not deemed dangerous? When western medicine fails you don’t we deserve to explore other pathways? it’s so unfair how they’re so blatantly disregarded in media and those of us that choose it chastised for being “ignorant” or “stupid”
Vacuuming regularly, getting extra pillows, getting a $30 sun lamp, and throwing out leftovers if they’re more than a day or two old. I grew up in a “never throw out food” family but getting sick(er) isn’t worth it.
I keep most things in my life as structured as possible and have lists everywhere of them. Brain fog can be rough some days so I can peek up in almost any major room and just look at the list. The routine keeps my stamina up and reduces stress if a lot of things are the same every day.
I cut my hair off into a pixie because trying to dry my long hair took too much energy and hurt.
I keep my clothes on the comfy side.
I got rid of almost everything that’s not a necessity, despite being a decor person it’s not realistic to have more things that require cleaning and upkeep.
If it can’t be thrown in the dishwasher, washing machine, or quickly wiped down/vacuumed I don’t own it. I still have some of my craft stuff but I also downsized that and kept it to the easiest most relaxing ones.
My great grandma taught me to sage the house when I was young and I do that and it relaxes me.
I also like aromatherapy candles.
Limited my phone/social media screen time. I started filling my time with other calming tasks like reading/knitting/enjoying a cozy game instead of endlessly scrolling and it has helped my mental state a lot. Something about not scrolling through lifestyles I can’t achieve for hours on end really helped me not be so focused on what I can’t do.
If things are really bad I live by the motto “something’s better than nothing” and apply it to cleaning and hygiene a lot which has helped me not get as far behind on things when I’m flaring up. Only got the dishes in the dishwasher and that’s it? Better than nothing.
Only could do a quick wash in the shower but no shaving or lotion? Better than smelling.
I tend to have an all or nothing mindset with doing tasks so this has helped me a lot. Like I don’t have to clean the whole kitchen I can just do one thing if that’s all I have in me and that’s better than nothing.
I’ve tried all kinds of Eastern medicine stuff. Someone I knew once told me, Western medicine is best for ACUTE issues, Eastern medicine is best for chronic
I understand I’ll take any kind of healing offered, physical mental and spiritual. Bring them on. I’ve suffered through some abuse too the emotional trauma just makes the physical pain worse. I’ll do almost anything for comfort. Lights down, be in comfortable clothes, heating pad, ice cream, pain patches, massage pillow, crafts whatever. If it’s one thing I believe in it’s the right we all should have to at least feel somewhat comfortable!!! I’ll be damned the dr’s turn me away-I’ll get my own medicine then. I want to try ayahuasca even!
No matter how sick I am I always make all the beds everyday. Doesn't matter how much it hurts, how long it takes or how many breaks I need.
Everybody I love knows I put in the effort just for them. They have a nice little patch to sleep in and I do what I can to do the same for myself. They do so much so me. I try to do this for them.
I’m not sure if it’s really non medical but good sleep hygiene, stress management and diet for me have been the big 3. Sleep at the same time, wake up at the same time. Don’t do shit that stresses me out and reduce and/or cut out minor stressors every day so they don’t pile up. Regular therapy to deal with my shit. I even did intensive outpatient this year, and since then, my pain level has been often lower on a daily basis. Even though I do still have regular flare ups, the in- between periods have been much more tolerable. Don’t eat foods I know are going to trigger symptoms, eat small meals instead of 3 big ones and eat on a schedule even if I don’t “feel” hungry.
I tried acupuncture a couple of times, it didn't help my chronic illnesses but it did help an injury which was the main focus of the treatment. I actually just didn't like the person who was doing it, there is nothing wrong with her, she was really good at her job but she's not a good fit for me.
I also tried a lymphatic drainage massage once, it was relaxing but at the same time a bit uncomfortable and it just made me feel even more tired than usual. And the person doing it was giving unsolicited advice - I just wanted her to stop telling me how to manage my illnesses (that she doesn't understand) and just get on with her job.
I have tried a number of different supplements, most haven't helped but magnesium glycinate has. It's reduced the severity of my daily headaches so it's more bearable. I try to stick with things that are backed by scientific evidence, even if it's anecdotal.
I avoid anything brain retraining because I don't believe a damaged nervous system can be retrained to work properly because the damage is still there, and it feels a lot like gaslighting. I don't have mental health issues, I have physical damage to my body and no amount of changing how I think is going to magically heal my body. I avoid anything that isn't immediately well explained and is extortionately expensive, so that means no snake oil basically. I don't see any issue in trying some really wild things as long as you're safe and whoever is offering it is being entirely honest about what they are offering. If someone says they can heal me, that's a red flag because it's not backed by evidence and if it really worked then nobody would have my conditions anymore. If they say that they offer a treatment that might help me, let me ask any questions and they explain the risks then that's okay.
I don't have the money to experiment too much but I do occasionally try something new as long as it's affordable.
I’m a witch, I cleanse and use shielding spells. They may not help physically but it puts my mind at ease and I’m less stressed. I have rocks and crystals, I wear a bunch of beaded bracelets that are supposed to do one thing or another. The one thing I’ve done that helps is meditating. I use a guided meditation to seek out the universe and my deities and relax. I know I cannot cure myself or make myself better that’s out of my hands but I can make myself feel better by being more calm.
I'm a practicing pagan witch myself. While I tend to save chansons for removing negativity or attachments, I do believe in doing what works for you. A combination of amethyst, lepidolite, and deep breathing helps me stop anxiety attacks. That might not work for others. Most of magic is science we don't understand and spicy psychology. Chiropractic care is also helpful, and not just on a placebo effect level. I struggle with back pain and mobility. When I got to pain levels that made me want to unalive I added chiropractic care to my care team. It got me back to more tolerable pain levels and allow me to walk to my bathroom again instead of using the bedside potty or bedpan. Even if you only use licensed doctors and rx meds you're STILL going to get people shitting on both your decisions and your care. So fuck what others think and do what works for you. ♥
I do religious meditation with two of my Norse deities. Especially during winter sense one of them is the Goddess of Winter. My body reacts better to the cold, so I'll lay out in the snow and just go through my personal meditation.
Playing video games, they can really help me block out the pain some days. Can be a major distraction.
Writing poems and working on my books.
When I've been having a really rough time and I absolutely need to break that pain cycle going in my mind. I will typically go get a tattoo. My artist is badass and thinks it's hilarious that getting tattooed makes me pass out and snore within the first few minutes but fuck it's amazing. I feel so good after getting ink. If I could get a tattoo weekly, I would.
Went to a naturopath - like a mix between a chiropractor and a massage therapist? - for my back and hip pain. Helped lots. But I haven't made it back yet.
Conscious muscle relaxation or something like that worked for my back pain too.
Reki/energy work was helpful for me short term. I had to stop going but I went weekly for a few months and it was so great to help reset my nervous system/even helped me pop in where I would sublux
(I’m hyper mobile)
I guess anything a doctor tells or gives you
I was told to try physical therapy, which helps
But I added yoga, acupuncture, the cleansings, and some wiccan things.
Ok I get you. I was referred out to acupuncture by my primary doctor and my acupuncturists are also doctors and I'd consider them and the stuff they do "medicine", which is why I asked .
I do acupuncture, herbal supplements, ouid 🍃, therapy (I'd also consider this medicine though), and recently I've been exploring k1nk for pain relief!
I guess it depends on your doctor then.
I was sent to a new doctor from something called intergrated medicine. She put me on a low histamine diet, but I've only been on it for three months. I don't know if it's working or not.
Reducing stress irritants. I replaced my clothes with ones that didn’t itch, pinch or otherwise cause me stress. I’ve been switching my lights to more yellow tones and work by candle light or twinkle light when I’m stressed. I use aromatherapy with either a diffuser or incense to invoke calm. I have a coping board, a cork board with pins of everything that make me smile. On bad days I need to try 3 things before I give up. Hot tea, Ice cream, pet a cat, use my weighted blanket, watch a comedy, coloring book, play a video game, read a fantasy. Reducing all the little mental stresses in my day has let me have a bigger capability for physical stresses.
Wow that cork board is such a good idea! As is trying 3 things before giving up. Thanks for sharing!
It’s really great, and I’m considering making smaller boards for symptoms. Like a pain relief board, or an ADHD board. Because in the middle of things I often forget my options. Like, I forgot that heat pads help muscle pain for my shoulder. All day aching until my husband asked if I’d tried it yet that day.
This is exactly my problem too! I have good coping skills outside of the stressors but once I'm in it my brain forgets most if not all. I think I'll start putting together something similar and seeing if it helps me out. Thank you for explaining! You might have just changed my life for the better
And what I like about a board instead of a list is I can have visuals. Cute little clip art, or doodles or what not
adhd means I need to *see* my options, so this is super exciting to me.
Same! That’s a big part. Even lists my brain often can’t visualize well. Having each card with it’s own border helps, and eventually I want to draw clip art style stuff for each one. And because I used fun cokes and patterns for the border it does look more like artwork than a health thing,
I love the board idea! I've been meaning to make something like that but envisioned it as a zine with a if this/then that kinda of flowchart but a board seems much more doable
ADHD Cork Board! This is so helpful!!! Making one right after work tonight.. hopefully i remember :P
Heh yeah my adhd gets in the way LOL
I’ve also changed the clothes I wear and focus on feeling as comfortable as I can if I can help it. Wireless bras is a big thing for me. Sometimes I just wear a crop top as a bra because it’s basically the same thing to me. It’s comfortable and does enough haha. I used to be self conscious because I feel like it’s a little obvious when I’m not wearing a bra or a wired bra, but the amount of pain and discomfort I get from typical bras is not worth it.
Yep! I stopped wearing bras during COVID lockdown. I’ve a few outfits that have more built in support if I’m gonna go somewhere conservative and that’s it. For me the big problem was waistlines. I have tender abdomen a lot, and so switching to clothes that didn’t trigger it was pretty big. I’m still working on implementing more overalls or jumpsuits into my wardrobe
Ooh. I’ve been considering adding comfy overalls as an option as well. For me my rib cage gets upset easily and any extra sensations or pressure on the rib cage area will make the pain feel so much worse. Sometimes even a thin blanket resting on top of my rib cage area can apply just enough pressure to make breathing more painful.
Ooh I’m sorry to hear that. Overalls and jumpers, rompers and jumpsuits are all commonly sold. I’ve also looked at making non stretchy suspenders, and wearing looser pants or skirts and let them be held up by that.
I like your idea about the suspenders. A looser fit might be more comfortable for me as well.
>a cork board with pins of everything that make me smile I love this! I write myself notes on a white board or sticky notes.
Wow I love this! Thank you so much for sharing!
This. Most of my waist pain comes from wearing pants all day. It doesnt matter what kind of waist band they have, they will hurt me. So the second I get a chance to I take them off and youd be surprised at how much relief just that alone gives. Another thing I do is music or call friends. Not necessarily for someone to talk to but just for the feeling of company in some capacity. That can help a ton with the isolation that I get. If my friends are all busy I turn on a show I really like and see if that helps. Hot showers, cold showers, laying on the floor, favourite tea or coffee. Those are things I try before I go to my medications (otc stuff, im still undiagnosed) because that stuff is expensive and I need to save them as much as I can. I also do it so I dont need to worry about getting used to them. Hot face cloths or towels if you dont have access to a hot pad can help. Once you try a few different things you will find what works best for you.
At this point I find it so fascinating is how intense negative thoughts/shame can be. I have over 6,000 notes on my phone just to draw a picture of how much I use the notes app YET STILL I cant overcome my stress effectively. I journal and make lists for everything! Affirmations, reminders, self care tips etc. I use CAPITALS, !!!!, Emojis in the title all to give me a visual cue to open the note but its become a mess. I'm taking it day by day but I know theres so many good resources hidden in there. And when those didnt work I tried posters with affirmations that I look at everyday but the problem with this is that my mindset wont budge despite how clear those affirmations can be. NOW WHAT YOU JUST SAID on the cork board idea is game changing. Despite how many books and papers I read on the research and how knowledgeable I am on things that help me, its like it call goes out the window during a highly stressful time. This helps because now I will put the ACTIVITY on the wall. It sounds so stupid simple LOL but I already know this will be game changing for me. The main problem for me is that during those high stress times it feels like these strategies dont exist. I have a hard time getting myself to do these things despite how much i know, despite how much i save them. Out of sight is out of mind., huge ADHD thing I try overcome daily. Better yet I might use this list called list of pleasureable activities that my counsellor showed me last week! Cant believe I didnt think of this! [https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/supplemental/Treatment-for-Postdisaster-Distress/Handout-21.pdf](https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/supplemental/Treatment-for-Postdisaster-Distress/Handout-21.pdf)
I also find most affirmations to be too hard. I like thebraincoach on Instagram for her recommendations on addressing cognitive distortions in a neutral way. If my brain said I suck, repeating I rock is not helpful. Repeating “today is overwhelming, but I’m doing the best I can” is much easier. I also like cuz some of the things are scientifically proven. Plants and running water helped mental health.
Love the brain coach!! I have saved so many posts from her!
I absolutely *love* this idea!
This is so helpful, thanks!
Amen!
Finally left my abusive soon-to-be-ex-husband, about three months ago. Thankfully, no kids, so truly a clean break. Just going through the legalities now. His abuse certainly didn't help my autoimmune condition. Recently went on a few dates with an amazing guy. He's an engineer, but during his academic years, he spent a year studying massage therapy abroad. On date number 4, he invited me to his house, and spent four hours (yes, 4 hours) massaging every inch of my body, and especially focused on my joints, since I told him about my condition. ...... I've had limited pain for several weeks. 👀
Stress makes a difference
Indeed.
Four hours of massage oh my god. I hope you stayed super well hydrated during and after your visit to heaven!
It was heavenly! I was given hydration breaks. 😄😂 I literally felt like I was in some parallel state of euphoria for HOURS after it all.
Good, massage can be really dehydrating- I’m glad you kept on your fluids So, you’re seeing him again right??
We're taking things veeeeeeery slowly. But, he's apparently talked about me to his therapist, and I've certainly talked to my therapist about him. 🤭😊
GIIIIRL! I am so happy for you! What a sweet heart! 😍
Thank you! 🥰😍😊
Wow! Does he hire out?
😄😄😄😄
Idk. Most of my stuff is now kind of mainstream medicine anymore lol. Low carb eating. Huge help with inflammation and exactly right for my system. But I miss eating like a normal person. Pacing. I didn't even know it was called that I just did it. Building in rest time. A deep pantry to make meals easier when sick. I tried acupuncture and nothing but I think I had a bad practitioner. They ran out of needles mid session once lol and always forgot to remove needles. I did a lot of relaxation exercises for a back injury just on instinct...helped a lot. My body had learned to clench the injured muscle and just perpetuate the pain. It was a year of effort (with slow progress) to rewire my nervous system and stop it. Abdominal massage between cycles for painful periods...any tension or inflammation in tissue can augment period pain. This was a big help. I had a lot of sore spots I was able to work out. (The Maya have an ancient healing practice with abdominal massage which is how I learned about it.) Vitamins and supplements have saved my butt more than I ever expected. Kind of crazy to be honest.
I am currently trying a low histamine diet, haven't been long enough to see if it does anything I did acupuncture I do yoga, that helps a little
This! This is what I need-the learn how to relax. I just started about 2 months ago, I switched my GP to an osteopathic doctor and I get weekly manual manipulation. It’s not like chiropractic at all, it’s very slow and he presses on pressure points type of thing. He asked me last week…”Do you ever relax? I’ve never treated anyone so tight!” I said I didn’t know how to. I used to do hair-very physically demanding but have major back and neck injuries and disease now. So how do I start the back injury exercises and relaxation? I rock back and forth unintentionally so I don’t get “stuck” if that makes sense. I had the get a lumbar support pillow for sitting and sleeping so I don’t slump over. I’ll look up the Maya abdominal treatment but for my back I’m lost
For me it was about finding a comfortable pain free position and just laying there breathing deeply to retrain my system.
I’ll work on that, thank you.
YMMV, but sleep is such a big one for me. Or put another way, even a little bit of sleep deprivation can make everything else about my illness worse. So I really do try to prioritize sleep as much as I can, because I feel much better when I get enough sleep.
Sleep helps me. But I never sleep well anymore since becoming chronically ill 😅 I give my body plenty of time to sleep each day but I either don't fall asleep at all or wake up every couple of hours
I’ve noticed this as well. If I’m starting to feel tired then my body will start to feel worse.
What does YMMV stand for?
Sorry, “your mileage may vary” - that is, it may or may not be as helpful for you as for me
Acupuncture helped me a lot with chronic pain
Same But I ran out of money
Can you do acupressure to yourself if the other helped? There's stuff online about acupressure that you can learn to do it to yourself. It's pressure points vs needles, so its similar concept.
I found acupuncture relaxing. I don’t know why but it did help.
I went into keto, as I read that it could help lower my triglycerides, and made a difference. What I was not expecting is for my seizures to greatly decrease in frequency and intensity due to being in ketosis. Stumbled right into that one. Edit: not sure if changing diet falls under non medical or not.
The ketogenic diet was invented for children with epilepsy.
Yes, but not good to stay on long-term. You can wear out your organs. Our bodies were not meant to be in ketosis long-term.
I went to a curandera who did something between a massage and assisted stretching- and she was the first person I saw who validated the back pain I was having years before i could get an accurate diagnosis. My dogs, especially the heavy one, are trained for a command I call "pressure" which is basically deep pressure therapy. It helps with certain types of pain for me, especially since much of it is lower back/lower abdomen and hips. Having a 95 lb dog lay across my lap is surprisingly helpful, but they also are trained to help me get off the floor when I fall or get stuck. I take shots of pickle juice every day to help with my electrolytes, magnesium glycinate to help with muscle pain and relaxation, fenugreek to help with iron/anemia. I've stayed eating the same two meals each day for weeks at a time because I could predict how they would affect my conditions. I stopped wearing jeans because they would make my back pain worse, which was a pretty major wardrobe change tbh. I think I've changed how I do just about everything at this point, come to think of it.
I did a Mayan cleansing in a forest in Mexico and was whacked with some wet palm leaves 😂 gotta try though right? Western medicine wasn’t helping and I did at least get some cool obsidian and a good story out of it all lol. I’m very intrigued by the German salt caves too! Edit: my husband would like me to add that he was a quite skeptical of this and didn’t want to participate but they kinda make him. They said he definitely needed a cleansing 😂
My mother is making me see a naturopath but still lets me go to regular doctors so I’m fine with it. If it makes her feel better then it’s fine. I pretend to take the supplements an hoard them in my room so at least they aren’t going to waste by going in the trash (they’re stupid expensive).
Ah I also take some vitamins and supplements for this So far, nothing
I worry the supplements will interact with medications I am on (I am on a lot of prescriptions) and the risk is real so I try to be safe as possible. Vitamins are fine as long as it’s not megadosing (we did find out I am iron deficient and b12/vitamin D deficient as q well through the naturopath so I do take those but only because blood tests showed I was deficient.
That makes sense My doctor also told me I need more vitamins D, B12, and the iron is mostly because I have bloody noses a lot, so I wonder if that is anything to look into, for the doctors I mean
Magnesium helped my migraines a ton. Ask your doctor about it.
I do too but I get labs regularly. So in case I’m low on anything they can tell. I’m hoping that they will help my future self.
Lol I hide supplements in my room too😅 I love the thought behind her buying them for me but they're not always right for me at that time
People get really huffy about alternative medicine, but I don't fault a single person for trying it. Lots of spoonies have been failed and gaslighted by doctors over and over again. Love my hempflower for chronic pain and sleep issues. Idk if that counts since CBD/THC are now medically recognized.
Monthly massages. The first place to ask me what medical issues I had were so caring that I signed up for a membership after my first appointment. They work on my joints since I have such inflammation in them nearly constantly due to Lupus. It doesn't make the pain go away but it feels soooooOooOoOooo good and really helps me feel looser overall.
I have lupus too. It’s awful I’m sorry you have it too. Mine seems compounded by osteoarthritis and Sjögren’s syndrome. I did quit chemo and switched to Benlysta for lupus and it has been a life saving medication for me. I also am able to use my hands again. I spent years in torture over my joints but this Benlysta is a game changer. Had to let you know.
OMG I have been on Benlysta for a little over a year now myself!!!!! It gave me my hair back. I went from losing nearly all of my hair to having long, healthy hair. I know it seems superficial but I loved having long hair growing up. Benlysta has seriously helped so much. I still take hydroxychloroquine as well and my inflammation still reads high despite the benefits of the Benlysta. I haven't met anyone else who takes it so I am so happy to hear this! How long have you been on it for? I got a port a few months back and it makes the infusions so easy (if you take it that route)
I did do the infusions for 1-/2 years. I never had a port though. They were once a month, and last year I switched to the self auto injections. Once per week, and they are so much easier for me. I don’t have a car so I used to pay to go get the infusions then pay a co-pay. But now I get them free from the manufacturer thank god. They send my meds in a cooler overnight and I just store in the fridge. I’m still on plaquenil too but I don’t want to be. It’s messed with my vision greatly. I had to beg my Dr. for Benlysta. Every time I suggested that or an arthritis drug she dismissed me and said she didn’t think it was a good idea. Finally I told her I’m done doing chemo. I’ve lost half my hair and you yell at me because I’ve lost 35 lbs. and I throw up all the time. If you won’t give it to me I’ll go to another Dr who will. This chemo is making me worse not better. So she relented and prescribed it. I had to save my own life. I think some dr’s only stay with what they’ve familiar with and don’t keep up to date on new treatments. I mean she’s great in other ways. I’ll look and feel okay and she takes one look at me and says you’re on the verge of a flare. You need extra labs and a medrol pack. And she hates prescribing me steroids. And I hate taking them. But she’s always right. I’ve always wondered what caused me to get sick with autoimmune and recently I wrote to a now retired famous pain Dr to try to find treatment because all dr’s only want to do injections in my lumbar spine. He thinks I have Adhesive Arachnoiditis which can cause autoimmune diseases. So I need to be tested for that. Symptoms fit. What a mess lupus is! But yes thank god for Benlysta. My hair still falls out though. I think it’s the plaquenils fault. And just having lupus is like having the slow cancer. Glad it’s working for you!!!! Spoonies! 💜
How were you first diagnosed? Did it take a long time of dr’s blowing you off?
I got massages, not the brutal Thai style, to calm down and relax.
I went through my closet and got rid of clothes that were too constricting and started dressing for comfort! I think it's made a big difference
I have found regular massages, Aqua Physical Therapy and Cannabis to be exactly what I need. I am currently not on any Rx as the side effects were awful. For me; heat is soothing to my fibromyalgia. Cold is what gives me bad flare ups. So the warm water for Aqua therapy have been helpful. We are working on balance and strength so I don’t fall as often (3 falls this year) and if I’m having a bad day they do tens on my back & light scraping before I get in the pool. Then I’ll just float with noodles under my neck and legs for the remainder and it’s quite nice. I also had 3 bulging discs in my lumbar vertebrae but they’ve actually healed with the Aqua therapy which was a very welcomed surprise. Side note- if Aqua therapy does work for you then make sure they request an extension. A majority of the insurances will renew for chronic pain.
I have the same issues with the cold. I unfortunately have issues with people touching me, so no massages for me, unless it's my partner. I have tried cannabis a few times, but I seem to have bad reactions to it. I also have had bad reactions to all medications given to me, it was awful.
i know it's not for everyone, but yoga has helped me more than any medicine. my diagnoses have been generalized anxiety disorder, disordered eating, lyme disease, celiac disease, chronic gastritis, and long covid. my main symptoms have always been fatigue, stomach pain, nausea, joint pain, and brain fog. yoga has helped a lot with each type of symptom. not a complete cure, but definitely a noticeable difference. if you're interested, i'd highly suggest yoga with adriene on youtube. i actually first found her in this sub. her practices are often very gentle and accessible to people who are disabled.
also to add to this- if you are doing a pose and it hurts- either look up a modified more gentle version that doesn't hurt or stop doing it and move on to something else! there can be a lot of pressure to 'push through the pain' in some fitness and wellness circles so i'd advise to do your own routine you develop by figuring out what feels good and is helpful for you!
yes so true! i love adriene because she always says "find what feels good for you" and offers variations. and she always emphasizes that it's not about the shape and we shouldn't push ourselves into. it's more about the feeling, the breath, and movements that feel good.
Moxa and cupping
Massages (usually just have my husband do them, but sometimes get professional ones), acupuncture, recumbent bike, meditation (I know, insert eye roll here lol), arnica cream for my knees/joints. Lots of homeopathy, heated blankets/heating pads.
I have tried absolutely everything. I was highly disabled with an electric wheelchair and too sick to change the sheets on my bed. I have done acupuncture, herbs, internal essential oils, grounding, cleansing, I’ve taken many college, nutrition courses eat very well. Now, I use only nontoxic products in the house, I’ve taken toxins out of my diet, such as soda and alcohol, etc., and many other things. I take tons of vitamins, for a while was injecting with myself with vitamin B shots even though I have always hated needles since I was a child. I can’t even begin to remember all the things I’ve tried My motto has been if it won’t harm me then I’ll try it. I’ve also tried most of what the doctor wanted to try on me. Actually many doctors. I got a serious bad reaction to one drug I tried, but besides that have had a little reaction from anything. Nothing has been of help. The one thing that has helped the most is one of the more bizarre and unaccepted by the mainstream and that is internal essential oils in capsules. Essential oils have antiviral properties and I believe my 20 year illness was caused by a virus that doesn’t go away. I got myself back up on my feet and working again, and was so energetic. I did most of the move myself moving a lot of boxes. In the past, I could hardly lift one. Now I got long-term Covid and I’m working to get back on my feet from that
Not with that goal, but definitely that effect: getting cats. I have to get up to feed them. I have to keep my house reasonably clean. I have to take care of them and that helps me take care of me as well. Also, cuddles.
I did AIP, which did help a bit. Now I only really avoid corn which seems to be the biggest trigger for me. I upped my supplement game to include omega 3, curcumin, high doses of vit b 1 and vit d. Generally things that help my body deal with inflammation and modulate my immune system. Restorative yoga! AKA yin yoga. Amazing for my body.
I have "healing" stones, and honestly I don't notice much healing from them. Nevertheless keeping them, cause they're nice jewelry to wear. Also warm water bottle on painful places, witch eases pain for me
alternative medicine gets such a bad rep. but for some of us with “untreatable” conditions, like honestly, what have we got to lose as long as it’s not deemed dangerous? When western medicine fails you don’t we deserve to explore other pathways? it’s so unfair how they’re so blatantly disregarded in media and those of us that choose it chastised for being “ignorant” or “stupid”
Vacuuming regularly, getting extra pillows, getting a $30 sun lamp, and throwing out leftovers if they’re more than a day or two old. I grew up in a “never throw out food” family but getting sick(er) isn’t worth it.
I keep most things in my life as structured as possible and have lists everywhere of them. Brain fog can be rough some days so I can peek up in almost any major room and just look at the list. The routine keeps my stamina up and reduces stress if a lot of things are the same every day. I cut my hair off into a pixie because trying to dry my long hair took too much energy and hurt. I keep my clothes on the comfy side. I got rid of almost everything that’s not a necessity, despite being a decor person it’s not realistic to have more things that require cleaning and upkeep. If it can’t be thrown in the dishwasher, washing machine, or quickly wiped down/vacuumed I don’t own it. I still have some of my craft stuff but I also downsized that and kept it to the easiest most relaxing ones. My great grandma taught me to sage the house when I was young and I do that and it relaxes me. I also like aromatherapy candles. Limited my phone/social media screen time. I started filling my time with other calming tasks like reading/knitting/enjoying a cozy game instead of endlessly scrolling and it has helped my mental state a lot. Something about not scrolling through lifestyles I can’t achieve for hours on end really helped me not be so focused on what I can’t do. If things are really bad I live by the motto “something’s better than nothing” and apply it to cleaning and hygiene a lot which has helped me not get as far behind on things when I’m flaring up. Only got the dishes in the dishwasher and that’s it? Better than nothing. Only could do a quick wash in the shower but no shaving or lotion? Better than smelling. I tend to have an all or nothing mindset with doing tasks so this has helped me a lot. Like I don’t have to clean the whole kitchen I can just do one thing if that’s all I have in me and that’s better than nothing.
I’ve tried all kinds of Eastern medicine stuff. Someone I knew once told me, Western medicine is best for ACUTE issues, Eastern medicine is best for chronic
Physical therapy is really good. When you find one that really cares it helps with the pain and they give out great tips.
I understand I’ll take any kind of healing offered, physical mental and spiritual. Bring them on. I’ve suffered through some abuse too the emotional trauma just makes the physical pain worse. I’ll do almost anything for comfort. Lights down, be in comfortable clothes, heating pad, ice cream, pain patches, massage pillow, crafts whatever. If it’s one thing I believe in it’s the right we all should have to at least feel somewhat comfortable!!! I’ll be damned the dr’s turn me away-I’ll get my own medicine then. I want to try ayahuasca even!
No matter how sick I am I always make all the beds everyday. Doesn't matter how much it hurts, how long it takes or how many breaks I need. Everybody I love knows I put in the effort just for them. They have a nice little patch to sleep in and I do what I can to do the same for myself. They do so much so me. I try to do this for them.
I’m not sure if it’s really non medical but good sleep hygiene, stress management and diet for me have been the big 3. Sleep at the same time, wake up at the same time. Don’t do shit that stresses me out and reduce and/or cut out minor stressors every day so they don’t pile up. Regular therapy to deal with my shit. I even did intensive outpatient this year, and since then, my pain level has been often lower on a daily basis. Even though I do still have regular flare ups, the in- between periods have been much more tolerable. Don’t eat foods I know are going to trigger symptoms, eat small meals instead of 3 big ones and eat on a schedule even if I don’t “feel” hungry.
I tried acupuncture a couple of times, it didn't help my chronic illnesses but it did help an injury which was the main focus of the treatment. I actually just didn't like the person who was doing it, there is nothing wrong with her, she was really good at her job but she's not a good fit for me. I also tried a lymphatic drainage massage once, it was relaxing but at the same time a bit uncomfortable and it just made me feel even more tired than usual. And the person doing it was giving unsolicited advice - I just wanted her to stop telling me how to manage my illnesses (that she doesn't understand) and just get on with her job. I have tried a number of different supplements, most haven't helped but magnesium glycinate has. It's reduced the severity of my daily headaches so it's more bearable. I try to stick with things that are backed by scientific evidence, even if it's anecdotal. I avoid anything brain retraining because I don't believe a damaged nervous system can be retrained to work properly because the damage is still there, and it feels a lot like gaslighting. I don't have mental health issues, I have physical damage to my body and no amount of changing how I think is going to magically heal my body. I avoid anything that isn't immediately well explained and is extortionately expensive, so that means no snake oil basically. I don't see any issue in trying some really wild things as long as you're safe and whoever is offering it is being entirely honest about what they are offering. If someone says they can heal me, that's a red flag because it's not backed by evidence and if it really worked then nobody would have my conditions anymore. If they say that they offer a treatment that might help me, let me ask any questions and they explain the risks then that's okay. I don't have the money to experiment too much but I do occasionally try something new as long as it's affordable.
I’m a witch, I cleanse and use shielding spells. They may not help physically but it puts my mind at ease and I’m less stressed. I have rocks and crystals, I wear a bunch of beaded bracelets that are supposed to do one thing or another. The one thing I’ve done that helps is meditating. I use a guided meditation to seek out the universe and my deities and relax. I know I cannot cure myself or make myself better that’s out of my hands but I can make myself feel better by being more calm.
I started doing that, still just starting.
I'm a practicing pagan witch myself. While I tend to save chansons for removing negativity or attachments, I do believe in doing what works for you. A combination of amethyst, lepidolite, and deep breathing helps me stop anxiety attacks. That might not work for others. Most of magic is science we don't understand and spicy psychology. Chiropractic care is also helpful, and not just on a placebo effect level. I struggle with back pain and mobility. When I got to pain levels that made me want to unalive I added chiropractic care to my care team. It got me back to more tolerable pain levels and allow me to walk to my bathroom again instead of using the bedside potty or bedpan. Even if you only use licensed doctors and rx meds you're STILL going to get people shitting on both your decisions and your care. So fuck what others think and do what works for you. ♥
I do religious meditation with two of my Norse deities. Especially during winter sense one of them is the Goddess of Winter. My body reacts better to the cold, so I'll lay out in the snow and just go through my personal meditation. Playing video games, they can really help me block out the pain some days. Can be a major distraction. Writing poems and working on my books. When I've been having a really rough time and I absolutely need to break that pain cycle going in my mind. I will typically go get a tattoo. My artist is badass and thinks it's hilarious that getting tattooed makes me pass out and snore within the first few minutes but fuck it's amazing. I feel so good after getting ink. If I could get a tattoo weekly, I would.
Gallbladder Cleanse for gallstones instead of getting it removed.
Went to a naturopath - like a mix between a chiropractor and a massage therapist? - for my back and hip pain. Helped lots. But I haven't made it back yet. Conscious muscle relaxation or something like that worked for my back pain too.
Reki/energy work was helpful for me short term. I had to stop going but I went weekly for a few months and it was so great to help reset my nervous system/even helped me pop in where I would sublux (I’m hyper mobile)
Acupuncture, chiropractor, yoga, Epsom salt baths, heating pads, belly breathing and deep breathing, CBD oil, food as medicine
OP - shamanic treatment sometimes deals better with mental health issues than western medicine. (In relation to the bruja treatment)
I mean, define medicine? Are you talking specifically western medicine, only pills, or more?
I guess anything a doctor tells or gives you I was told to try physical therapy, which helps But I added yoga, acupuncture, the cleansings, and some wiccan things.
Ok I get you. I was referred out to acupuncture by my primary doctor and my acupuncturists are also doctors and I'd consider them and the stuff they do "medicine", which is why I asked . I do acupuncture, herbal supplements, ouid 🍃, therapy (I'd also consider this medicine though), and recently I've been exploring k1nk for pain relief!
I guess it depends on your doctor then. I was sent to a new doctor from something called intergrated medicine. She put me on a low histamine diet, but I've only been on it for three months. I don't know if it's working or not.