I feel obsessed. It is all i think about, all i read about, i can never get away from it and just relax.
What can I do?
Posted by Wonko (Member # 18318) on :
When I had inadequate health to pursue my life, I spent a lot of time thinking about the disease.
When I had inadequate symptom relief, I was likewise preoccupied.
I don't think it is a character flaw but instead a normal response to such a difficult situation.
Maybe not being hard on yourself and understanding why you are so fixated is a good place to start?
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Sometimes, an information vacation is sorely needed. Even if for one hour, one day.
While lyme patients are tossed into a situation that equals graduate coursework - full load - in a subject foreign to them, and it's the patients who have to learn in order to survive, it's difficult to stop because we are trying to save our very lives.
One key is focus. If you focus on what HELPS instead of what is wrong (as that could go on forever), that will cut the time tremendously.
Limit your time to study - and your computer time. Then you'll go right the most important thing to understand for that day.
When you rest, force yourself to resist all thoughts of this stuff. When you find the "work" drifting back in, just let the thoughts float off and focus on beauty in nature, your breathing, feeling the air on your skin, etc.
Do other things, even if reading the National Geographic or other travel or nature magazine. It's good to move toward nature. Notice the blue sky and intensity of green on the trees out your window.
Get up and dance around a bit to a new song. Literally and figuratively. -
Posted by TN Kim (Member # 26729) on :
How could we NOT become obsessed when literally every day something else strange is happening within our bodies!!!? I know at least for ME that I am still in the SHOCKED stage of this illness and every day I have to remind myself that I am not crazy and all of this IS really happening to me!
I can see how maybe once you've had it so long that MAYBE you could get your mind off of it ... at least if you are getting some kind of symptom relief!
Kim
Posted by ThatColorGreen (Member # 16016) on :
I absolutely agree with what Keebler has to say.
And Yes. I became obsessed. I came on the discussion board ALL of the time, did searches on the internet all day long, etc etc.
It gets to a point where, I feel, you can bring TOO much focus on the disease.
I had to take a break from all things Lyme because to be quite honest, I felt that I was puting so much energy on lyme, I was starting to feel worse..
That's my PERSONAL opinion and experience.
There is most definitely a fine line between what is too much or not.
Needing the support and encouragement from those going through the situation is one thing. But yes, it can become all consuming.
I had to force myself to stay away until I could figure myself out.... There has ALWAYS been a TREMENDOUS amount of support here, so if you need the support, then yes, come for support.
but TRYyyyyyy not to spend hours upon hours letting this consume you... it pulls you in like a black hole.
Lord knows we all feel cra ppy enough... no one needs to be even MORE consumed with lyme.
It's difficult.... it is... You have acknowledged the concern and so it seems that perhaps you may have enough will to say 'hey... enough!'
i suppose it becomes more of the "I have the disease, the disease does not have me" kinda thing.
Good Luck. You can overcome it... esp youre already aware of it....
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
I think both ends of the spectrum are in us - the obsession to learn what's going on and what to do, AND the person we are and the ability and need to take breaks of whatever kind we can manage.
Like this week, I took a day break and went to see a great art exhibit at our art museum - world-famous Impressionist paintings from Paris on loan to SF. Fantastic!!! And a great break.
So see what you can do to give yourself some break time too.
Hey - I just read your location byline - NY, NY? Are you there now? If so, you shouldn't have too much trouble figuring out something to go see...
Posted by Misfit (Member # 26270) on :
Right before my dx and after the dx i was reading everything and anything i could about lyme. So much that by the time i saw my dr i knew more than she did. Unfortunately i still know more. It was information overload and i was overwhelmed. I had to take a break. Almost a month. Now i find myself less obsessed. I think im better able to keep a handle on it.
Posted by METALLlC BLUE (Member # 6628) on :
I barely ever take breaks. The disease doesn't, so I don't. Some of the most financially and spiritually successful people in history have said that to achieve a goal, you must have a burning obsession -- full of passion, and it must be so intense that not only is it all you can think about, but it's all you act on during your waking hours.
A lot of people have told me over the years that I'm obsessed, but when they say it, they don't mean it to be taken as a compliment. They're trying to kill me - well, er, at least my inner spirit to live anyway.
Lyme patients obviously need rest, and I agree, but I do it when I feel like doing it, I don't do it because some moron tells me "You're obsessed, you need to get on with your life, blah blah,"
My question then becomes? What life? Get the **** out of here, you're wasting me time. Life? Ha, that's rich.
The irony is that is exactly what my goal is, to regain my life, to regain me, to become healthy and productive and passionate about more than accepting unacceptable bull**** that Lyme Disease and associated illness brings into my world.
Fight until you get well. It's your body, your life, and your suffering. This verse demonstrates exactly what I'm talking about:
"Did it have to start with a broken heart, with broken dreams and bleeding parts. We were well and the world was clear, but young ambition disappeared. I swore it never come to this, that atrophy the obvious, but I'm still discontented down here, and I'm still discontented. If we've only got one try, If we've only got one life, If time was never on our side. Then before I die I wanna burn out bright"- Jon Foreman
If their hand was pressed to the searing hot stove, they'd struggle, kick and scream. For those brief moments, they'd be obsessed with ending the pain too. So **** them.
![[group hug]](graemlins/grouphug.gif)