Back when we were young and in school, we were often told to pay more attention. It’s easy to get distracted and most of the time more focus helps us learn. For those of us with Functional Neurological Disorder, paying too much attention may actually make our symptoms worse.
As technology becomes more complicated, it seems like it is easier for little glitches to take place in our electronic devices that are so frustrating to figure out. Sometimes the latest update will fix a problem, but as often as not, more glitches show up after the update.
“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????
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.
When my kids were young, one of our favorite books was Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. In this book, a little boy named Alexander goes through a day where everything seems to go wrong, from no prize in his breakfast cereal to a cavity at the dentist. His brothers seem to have all of the good luck; Alexander just wants to run away to Australia. At the end of the day, his mother reminds him that some days are just like that, even in Australia.
Have you ever been stuck in a traffic jam? Frustrating, isn’t it? You know where you want to go, but the road in front of you won’t let you get there. Sometimes that’s how my brain feels with FND. The harder I try to go the direct route, the more my body shuts down.