Brain imaging - how our brain responds to things, relationships, pain, stress etc, are I feel fundamental to understanding the fibromyalgia label. Fibromyalgia is a syndrome it has many symptoms, that may be part of the condition or may be a result of the condition.
For example is the pain driving your mood or is your mood driving your pain? It is a question asked with many health conditions.
Well, what we do know factually is it all happens in your brain, how your brain handles the perception of information and what behaviour you exhibit is a result of learnt experience in the mind.
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The problem is, no one seems to care. My doctor doesn't. He just offers more pain killers. I've tried to to slowly reduce the amount I'm on, taught myself CBT and meditation and learnt to listen to my body to try and control the pain that way. It is quite effective. But I do need morphine when my feet and ankles flair up. I haven't worked out why they do yet. I've done all this with little to no help from the medical profession. I hope other people receive more help and it's just my local services like this.
I also suffered with intense muscular pain, For over 10 yrs, I was also prescribed loads of pain killers, antidepressants and anticonvulsants - none of them did anything for my pain.
Guess what?
I found out that mental health, - depression and anxiety cause pain, I had a mental health assessment - I now receive therapy and hey presto the pain is a fraction of the past, my fatigue is much lower, in fact my life is gradually improving.
They say once my therapy is finished and I continue on with my mindfulness grounding techniques they will disappear completely. I and so do many specialist Doctors, now believe fibromyalgia is a mental health condition.
There is a clue on this forum, add up how many post include either depression or anxiety?
I think my diagnosis was partly based on the fact that I am bipolar. I was diagnosed at 17. Diagnosed with fibromyalgia at 35 after I got divorced and moved house. Both stressful things for people without mental health issues. It saddens me that I see so many people on here who have partners that don't understand and won't help, as the stress of the situation will definitely make pain worse for those people.Due to having bipolar and other mental issues, I've spent a lot of time in therapy and even tried a new technique for the NHS, but at the time I didn't think it worked. But, it's not the quick fix I thought it would be. It took me years of practice. Years of trying to be aware of how I reacted to situations and what that did to pain levels. Once you have that though, it does make life easier. So pleased to hear that you have found a way to make it work for you. I'm very happy for you 🥰.
Thanks for your reply, very nice of you to share. I am enlightened by my late discovery of my own mental health, having had no idea it could be linked to Pain and my overall behaviour.
I understand bipolar very well, that said I have no experience, but can appreciate your difficulties, a good friend of mine years back, John Rook used to support young individuals with the then labelled manic depression, he took lithium medication, I believe he received an OBE for his work and support.
I like your comment regarding "reaction" as I too believe this is where the route of the troubles for fibromyalgia individuals.
I agree it is tough to rewire your brain, mind and behaviour and your determination is a great support for others, like me that have now found the evidence to start a recovery, I kind of know you will understand my early journey, I am finding the relief by using therapies and grounding techniques - as you know it is a strange experience just now - the control of turning the symptoms almost on and off, or at least supressing them reducing them quite quickly when they start.
I understand what you say about others or partners providing support and in no way is this making light of it, my partner is extremely supportive, in fact she has been my life saviour, that said she did experience some early years support for mental health years back - I feel for partners in general mental health is a difficult situation to juggle for them, on reflection now, I can see myself and the past with some indifference and my Fear behaviour is or was something I did not understand myself, so for near and dear it must be a thin line to tread living with individuals like us that suffer with a cognitive disorder. In the main mental health is still under supported and displayed with stigma that leads to gross misunderstanding, in society. (don't need to tell you this, I know) might help others.
My revelation was the effects of Childhood trauma, interpersonal relationships with care givers, a constant negative cycle of events that created my Fear behaviour, anxiety.
It is kind of strange understanding it all, that these early experiences seemed to have made me tough or more resilient on the surface, able to get on in life and achieve great things throughout life, yet underneath my subconscious mind it was a different story and this came back to bite me in my 40's.
Please do let me know if any particular therapies have worked better for you than others.
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