All Posts | FND Recovery

Coaching Yourself to Better Health

In my experience, one of the keys to recovery from Functional Neurological Disorder lies in your willingness to discover those thoughts and beliefs that lie deep within yourself and your ability to accept what you find, analyze it, challenge it if necessary, and replace unhealthy thoughts and beliefs with new ones that serve you better. It’s not easy to dig through all of the layers of protection your mind has created and confront things that you prefer to think aren’t there. It takes courage to accept that there are parts of you that, well, aren’t very pretty.

Sensory Sensitivity

“Sensory Overload” was a painting I did when I needed to express how overwhelming the world felt to me. Naked, vulnerable, curled up in a bubble, trying to shut out the noise, lights, and crowds in the world around me. Why must the world be so LOUD????

Connect with your body

How well do you know your body and respond to its signals? Years ago, a friend of mine pulled into a restaurant, frustrated with me. “Good grief, Max! Don’t you even know when you need to eat?” She had started recognizing the signs that my body needed food. I would get sluggish, couldn’t think straight, and become quiet as my body ran low on fuel. The answer to her question was, no, I didn’t know when I needed to eat. Nor did I know when I needed to drink, sleep, use the bathroom, rest, or any of the other multitude of activities we do to keep our bodies functioning at their best.

What Recovery Means to Me

Sometimes other people with Functional Neurological Disorder will ask me, “So, are you back to 100% then?”. If that means I am back to the hard-driving, multi-tasking, “Wonder Woman” of my pre-FND days, then no. That isn’t something I would want even if I could have it. Of course there are things that I miss about the old me. Having more energy is definitely on my wish list.

Self-acceptance

One of the things I love about blogging is that I have the freedom to change my mind. If I wrote a book, and I still might, once it’s out there, you can’t take back your words. With a blog, all it takes is a few keystrokes and you can edit your message. The past couple of months have been a learning and growing experience. I’ve made plenty of mistakes, but that’s okay, that’s just part of being human. I feel bad that sometimes things I’ve said have led to hurt feelings. That is never my intent, but I sometimes get a little too passionate about my recovery. If I have said something that has hurt you, I’m truly sorry. I’m learning to weigh my words more carefully and that’s a good thing. If I say something to which you take offense, please send me a message. I would far prefer to be able to address something directly than to try to decipher cryptic hints on social media. Writing is a new experience for me and I don’t always express what I’m trying to say as well as I could. Miscommunication happens. I wish it didn’t.

Stop the Stigma

My heart is hurting. This has been a rough couple of weeks in the media for Functional Neurological Disorder. On the one hand, at least FND has gotten some long overdue recognition. Unfortunately, it feels like the attention has just perpetuated the stigma.

The Zone of Healthy Function

With Functional Neurological Disorder, the normal function of our nervous system gets derailed. Instead of the usual normal automatic movements most people take for granted, we end up either losing movement, such as paralysis or the ability to walk normally, or we begin having involuntary movements like seizures, tremors, or spasms. For many of us, the inconsistency of our symptoms is mind boggling. Why does my body work correctly some times and not others?

Energize your Brain

As I have learned to live with my Functional Neurological Disorder, I’ve discovered the importance of balancing and budgeting my energy. Do I have it all figured out? Not hardly! However, I am getting better at it all of the time. The longer I live with my brain’s default setting back on “normal”, the easier it is to keep my functioning at a manageable level.

Connect with Nature

Nature has always spoken to me, from the time I was a little girl playing in the creek and catching tadpoles. There is something about the fresh air and being outdoors that just makes my heart feel lighter. I am incredibly thankful to live in the gorgeous state of Colorado. It’s no wonder it is among the healthiest states in which to live; our beautiful surroundings beckon us to leave the couch and explore the great outdoors.

The Incredible Power of your Mind

Do you believe that your mind has the power to heal you? Research suggests that it does.