The holidays are meant to be a happy and joyous time but for many suffering from chronic illness and chronic pain, the lonliness, exhaustion and the sickness causes the depressioin to worsen and the holidays are not a fun time. For many of us with ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia, the fall and winter months are the worst time for us due to the lack of sunlight and we notice a huge downward spiral in our health. When you add to that the normal stresses of the holidays, our symptoms will typically intensify and Christmas usually means more depression because we want to feel well, but it’s all just too much for our bodies.
When we are isolated from parties, activities, and family and friends due to our illnesses during the holidays, the depression can go to an even darker place and that is when we need to be reaching out for help. Adrienne, the author of the About.com Fibromyalgia & CFS Blog, wrote a great post this past weekend on holiday depression that includes some phone numbers, websites, forums and information where you can go if you need help or someone to talk to. Please read her post: Holiday Depression in Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
You can always email me also – just use the contact form and share your feelings. I have found many times that just writing my thoughts down and not even sending them to anyone has been a great therapy. But please send me whatever you need to if it helps you get through the holidays, the day or whatever. I understand that it is a hard time of the year – emotionally and physically.
Just know that there are plenty of us out here, like Adrienne and myself, who know what it’s like and we have been through all of the feelings ourselves. The important thing is to stay safe and find someone to talk to or to get out your feelings somehow if you get to that dark place during this time. We’re here!
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