Emotional Triggers

[Fibroswamp]

I am new to your group and I would like to say hi and. acknowledge the impact to which fibro hijacks mental well being.
Its hard to navigate life always feeling unwell and misunderstood.
I get triggered emotionally by being a highly sensitive person and it gives me sudden overwhelm and pain.
I get continual headache and migraine pain coupled with aching everywhere.
I feel isolated and sad on these bright sunny days of summer.
I do have a supportive partner and a very loving dog who help me each day.

 

[Jemima]

Hi Fibroswamp,

Happy to have you here. I think it's safe to say that we can all relate to everything you've said there, so please know that you are not alone. I'm really glad to hear that you have a supportive partner - and a lot of us turn to our pets for a lift! - but I also know that even with good support, fibromyalgia makes life really hard sometimes. If you ever want to vent or talk, this a great place to do it.

 

[Iknopain2]

Hey there, Yes, you will find that you can be triggered by high-stress situations. I have learned to stay away from stressful situations as much as I can. Sometimes, however, you might need to make yourself go do things so that you can feel that you have had life experiences and do not feel isolated and frustrated by your pain and tiredness. Choose a small activity and limit how long you will do it. You know your limits. I found that I can make friends or acquaintances best at church, but if that is not a comfortable place for you, pick somewhere else. The community center, library, recreation park? I get very tired after 2 hours but sometimes, like when I go out with my extended family, I do it anyway because I'm making memories and that is what is important. I may have to sleep for six hours when I get home or stay home for two days to recover, but it is worth it to me. You only have one life to live and you are in control of it. Make the most of what you got. Good luck!

 

[Jemima]

Hey there, Yes, you will find that you can be triggered by high-stress situations. I have learned to stay away from stressful situations as much as I can. Sometimes, however, you might need to make yourself go do things so that you can feel that you have had life experiences and do not feel isolated and frustrated by your pain and tiredness. Choose a small activity and limit how long you will do it. You know your limits. I found that I can make friends or acquaintances best at church, but if that is not a comfortable place for you, pick somewhere else. The community center, library, recreation park? I get very tired after 2 hours but sometimes, like when I go out with my extended family, I do it anyway because I'm making memories and that is what is important. I may have to sleep for six hours when I get home or stay home for two days to recover, but it is worth it to me. You only have one life to live and you are in control of it. Make the most of what you got. Good luck!

Well said!

 

[JayCS]

Hi Fibroswamp, whilst I have delved deeply into and debunked the so-called 'alpha-personality' theory, which is actually a kind of myth around ideas of some cardiologists who saw that uptight kind of people get more cardiovascular problems, I alternatively find the idea interesting how many fibromites are a HSP, a "highly sensitive person", which is a personality type/trait, not disorder, which 15-20% are said to have. This concept developed by psychologists in the 1990s is not something which anyone seems to really disagree with, so is more than just an 'everyday theory'.
I know many people who have it without having fibro, but would also say I have it myself. My acupressurist doesn't "look like" an HSP, if looks are/were anything to go by, and sowed car seat upholstery for decades before getting fibro and becoming a PT, but she sure is an HSP.

Would anyone here say they don't seem to be a 'highly sensitive person' - let's say apart from the pain stuff that is part of our condition (whilst I don't mean hyperalgesia)?

 

[Jemima]

Would anyone here say they don't seem to be a 'highly sensitive person' - let's say apart from the pain stuff that is part of our condition (whilst I don't mean hyperalgesia)?

Wow, I've never come across that before, but the vast majority of the qualities listed in the self test ring true for me.
(at hsperson<dot>com)

I've never been sensitive to pain - until fibro of course. Others have always expressed surprise at my pain threshold! I love horror movies (but hate real-world violence), and caffeine is one of my favourite things on the planet, so they don't really fit. But otherwise, the sensory overwhelm and social aspects all chime.

 

[JayCS]

so they don't really fit

"Sensory processing sensitivity" is a choosy trait ;-), some people are extremely sensitive in a few areas, some seemingly in 'all', both could be considered HSP. I've read a few books on it - OK: skimmed/galloped thru, because most is what I'd've thought or what I'd experienced anyway... I was praps interested most in the bits about social interaction and relationships, but also things that don't fit for me, to understand them better in others.

 

[Jemima]

"Sensory processing sensitivity" is a choosy trait ;-), some people are extremely sensitive in a few areas, some seemingly in 'all', both could be considered HSP. I've read a few books on it - OK: skimmed/galloped thru, because most is what I'd've thought or what I'd experienced anyway... I was praps interested most in the bits about social interaction and relationships, but also things that don't fit for me, to understand them better in others.

Fascinating stuff - thanks for highlighting it. And I love the idea of you galloping thru reading material The giddy joys of a speedy brain!

 

[JayCS]

- But sometimes my wife is right with a bit too much hyperactivity: I just galloped thru what you wrote before the racehorse appeared, searched for an one, found it after the emojis did not want to appear for ages (which often happens here to me, nowhere else...), posted it and lo and behold you'd done it already... And I had actually spent a millisecond on the thought why there is a gap after 'material'...

Racehorses need to keep on the right track... and I'm overtired after ending the deep part of my sleep at around 3:30 this morning, my jaw's tensing all the time, trying desperately to relax instead of just taking a nap. Don't quite understand why my amino acids are letting me be wide awake too early, but I think I need to add more GABA and praps go to bed earlier. OK: Off to bed now. By the way: I don't nap at daytime, if I decide to sleep I really go to bed... and see if it's 20' power nap or a 2h sleep (without problems for the night). Tell you later what it turned out to be...

 

[JayCS]

It was 22' autogenic training. (= Yoga Nidra if my 1st video is anything to go by.)
If I count all the 2h30 of autogenic training and dozing I'm up to 7h46 of sleep and ... feel quite OK, considering.
I still don't dare believe the amino acids are bringing me on the way to get my body used to less sleep...