Understanding and improving our stress response to reduce pain and suffering
Having lived with chronic pain from dystonia for over 20 years, I spent most of that time focused on treating the physical symptoms. This has been very important and...
They Don’t Know What They Don’t Know: Learning to Manage Judgement and Criticism from Others When Living with a Chronic and Debilitating Condition
In my last blog, I talked about the difficulty being understood by others when living with a chronic health condition and the challenges that come with it. You can...
“I understand, but I also don’t understand” – A message to everyone about chronic health issues
A few days before a recent family gathering, I had a flare up in pain and other symptoms of dystonia that prevented me from attending. One of my relatives...
Perspective on pain and suffering – Is it all in our head? Powerful words from a fellow patient
As many of you know, I have lived with a painful neurological movement disorder called dystonia for the past 22 years. Utilizing different treatments, therapies, extensive self-care and plenty...
What’s the best thing we can do when we are in pain?
In a word, nothing. In two words, don’t panic. In two other words that are the same but are more positive and action oriented…be calm. Let me explain…when we...
How do we move beyond pain and suffering?
We have all at one time or another experienced pain and suffering of some kind. I sure have, living with dystonia for over 20 years, the first 5 of...
How resilient are you? Probably more than you think and give yourself credit
Having lived with chronic pain and involuntary muscle contractions from a neurological movement disorder called dystonia since 2001, I felt defeated many times. But I am still here battling...
The power of our inner dialogue on our health
I believe very strongly in the power of thoughts and words as it relates to my health. I say this because I have lived with a painful chronic neurological...
Self-nurturing for better health: My recovery from a recent breakdown
As many of you know reading this, I have lived with a chronic neurological movement disorder called dystonia, as well as chronic pain, for over 20 years. I use...
Thanksgiving quotes we can use every day
Quotes are some of my favorite things. Some of them I read or hear and they go in one ear and out the other. Then there are some that...
We have to stop beating ourselves up when we are in pain
Chronic pain reminds me of a bully that picks on kids in the schoolyard every day. Like the bully, chronic pain does not follow any rules and after multiple...
How getting lost in physical and mental pain helped me find myself
In the summer of 2001, I developed a neurological movement disorder called dystonia. Dystonia is the third most common movement disorder after Parkinson’s and essential tremor. In the very beginning,...
Are you trying to be positive when you’re miserable? Don’t be. Choose honesty instead
I often hear people with pain and other chronic health conditions say something like the following: “I am really struggling right now and I feel that talking about how...
