Breaking Free from the Self-Pity Trap

Breaking Free from the Self-Pity Trap I what I assume everyone suffering from a chronic illness questions at times. I have! It’s probably the easiest thing to give into. I am not saying is good just easy, so beware of it!! Breaking free from the Self Pity Trap is no joke. I felt this way for months if not years.

The trap is that while we are sorry for being in the middle of the storm, we have an excuse to do nothing about it. That’s the dangerous side, you can’t heal or get better by sitting on the bathroom floor crying.

But how to break free?

• Reframe your thoughts: keep in mind your emotions come from a thought. You can’t feel something you didn’t think first. So catch you every time you are giving into negative thinking. By focusing on the positives in your you will shift your perspective and reduce feelings of self-pity. I recommend writing down all negative thoughts you can come up with and do a side by side list of replacing thoughts. For example: “I have tried everything and nothing works, my life has reduced to living with dizziness and never feeling normal”. Replacing Thought: “I have tried XYZ, I will make time to investigate more and find out what other people have done to manage or overcome this illness”

• Practice gratitude: Find time to make a list of all the good things you have in your life. If your situation is tough you can go to the basics. I am thankful I have a roof over my head as an example. a habit of writing down or thinking about things that you are grateful for. This can help shift your focus away from negative thoughts and emotions.

• Get moving: Very important!!! While you are sweating and trying to catch your breath you can’t think of how sorry your are for yourself!. Also exercise can boost your mood and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Even if all you can do is take a short walk or a few minutes of stretching.

• Connect with others: Do not hide!! I used to have a joke when I was feeling awful, I would stay home and say “I am hiding”. Joke you would say, it was actually sad. I was tired of pretending I am ok and give myself time to feel sorry for my situation. Talking to a friend or loved one about how you’re feeling can help you process your emotions and gain a new perspective. Also they could have ideas for you, if anything they can just show you love so you feel appreciated.

What to avoid (at all costs)

• Do nothing and expect it will just pass. All good things in life require effort. Keep yourself busy instead doing things that bring you joy.
• Do not pretend it’s all ok. It’s never good to lie specially to yourself. Find courage and face your situation, action of any kind is always better than pretending your problem will disappear. By action it could well maybe rest, if that’s what you need to feel better and get re energized.

Remember, it’s normal to feel sorry for yourself sometimes, but it’s important to catch it and take steps to overcome these feelings and move forward.

For more resources and tools to manage Vestibular Migraine symptoms visit my Ultimate Vestibular Migraine Guide here. And for more motivation look me up on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.