The simple things in life are sometimes the things that bring most comfort, especially on difficult pain days. In my previous post, I talked about practical things that can help. Today, I want to share some of the small comforts and gentle coping strategies that help me through those tougher…
Category: Emotional & Mental Health
Back Pain & Scoliosis
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Coping With Difficult Pain Days: Hope, Emotions & Getting Through it
Coping with chronic pain isn’t pretty — especially on the difficult days. It’s not just about the physical pain, but also about coping with the difficult emotions that come along with it. I often feel the emotional side of living with pain gets overlooked. But when pain is overwhelming, our…
Chronic Pain
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Dealing With Embarrassment and Shame — By Sigrid MacDonald
Living with chronic pain or chronic illness can bring unexpected emotions. Alongside the physical challenges they’re dealing with, many people also experience feelings of embarrassment or even shame — feelings that can be difficult to talk about. Today, I’m very pleased to share a guest post by author Sigrid MacDonald,…
Chronic Pain
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Letting Go of Guilt — You Are Enough
It can be so difficult to let go of guilt, especially if your life is ruled by chronic pain or illness. “You are enough” is a gentle reminder from me to you — and the reason for writing this post is that I sometimes need that reminder too. We live…
Back Pain & Scoliosis
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Pain is Frustrating ~ Finding Ways to Cope
I can’t count how many times I’ve sighed, ‘This is so frustrating,’ because my pain has got the better of me.
Pain can be a bit of a control freak. It decides what you can and can’t do. It dictates everything — from whether you can attend an exciting event to whether you can manage the most mundane of tasks.
It can be even harder when you live with more than one type of pain, or when chronic illness adds extra layers to the struggle. Just when one part of your body starts to calm down a little, somewhere else flares up. The frustration is very real.
Please click to read more (and find out why you shouldn’t try to vacuum flies off skylight windows!!)
Awareness
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Understanding Invisible Disabilities — It’s All About Empathy
Understanding invisible disabilities needs to begin with empathy.
But, sadly, empathy seems to be disappearing in our country.
Invisible Disabilities Week takes place from the 19th to the 25th of October this year. It’s a reminder that what people need is empathy, not ignorance; support, not suspicion; compassion; not cruelty.
Emotional & Mental Health
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Everyone Deserves Privacy…Including the Royal Family
On Friday night, while watching television, I saw a woman in her early forties tell the world that she had been diagnosed with cancer. That woman was Catherine, the Princess of Wales. But I didn’t see a Princess. I saw a woman who looked tired and afraid. But most of…
Chronic Pain
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It’s Important to Focus on Ourselves Sometimes
I’ve not been blogging much lately. In fact, it’s over two months since I last published a post and I have been somewhat absent on social media and on my trigeminal neuralgia support group too. In the past, that would have driven me nuts. But this time it hasn’t. In…
Chronic Pain
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“Learn to Live With the Pain” Is That Really the Best Advice From a Doctor?
Chronic pain affects every aspect of life—relationships, work, mental health, and finances. Despite its profound impact, many people are told to simply “learn to live with it.” But is that really the best advice? 43% of the UK Population Lives With Chronic Pain If you’re a regular reader of my…
Chronic Pain
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What “I’m Fine” Really Means When You Live With Pain
When my Mum was alive, she phoned me every day and asked how I was feeling. And every time, I gave the same answer – “I’m fine.” As I was saying it, my husband was shaking his head. “Why do you always say that?” he asked one day. “You’re in…