Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series, I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their site with you. This week I highlight a new blogger, Hope Whispers.
Welcome to Hope Whispers. My name is Sarah and this is the place where I wrestle with life, looking at what it means to live with mental illness and chronic physical illness. Endeavouring to hold onto hope in spite of life’s challenges. Here I write about faith and suffering, joy and loss, recovery and relapse. Join me as I look to build a meaningful life with Depression, Anxiety and ME/CFS whilst being in Eating Disorder recovery. Trying to seek out the golden moments to be found even on the darkest days.
Welcome to the weekend edition of Today in History. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the post. Have an awesome weekend.
1968
Robert F. Kennedy is fatally shot
Shortly after midnight on June 5, 1968, Senator Robert Kennedy is shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles after winning the California presidential primary. Immediately after he announced to his cheering supporters that the country was ready to end its fractious divisions, Kennedy was shot several times by 24-year-old Palestinian Sirhan Sirhan. He was pronounced dead a day later, on June 6, 1968.
1870
Constantinople burns, killing hundreds
A huge section of the city of Constantinople, Turkey, is set ablaze on June 5, 1870. When the smoke finally cleared, 3,000 homes were destroyed and 900 people were dead. A young girl was carrying a hot piece of charcoal to her family’s kitchen in an iron pan when she tripped, …read more
1956
Elvis rocks the “The Milton Berle Show”
By the end of 1955, Elvis Presley had nearly 18 months of nonstop touring behind him and two dozen singles already under his belt, though his only hits were on the Country and Western charts. He was a hardworking and hard-to-categorize up-and-comer, but the next six months would …read more
1944
Allies prepare for D-Day
On June 5, 1944, more than 1,000 British bombers drop 5,000 tons of bombs on German gun batteries placed at the Normandy assault area, while 3,000 Allied ships cross the English Channel in preparation for the invasion of Normandy—D-Day. READ MORE: How D-Day Changed the Course of …read more
1963
British Secretary of War John Profumo resigns amid sex scandal
On June 5, 1963, British Secretary of War John Profumo resigns his post following revelations that he had lied to the House of Commons about his sexual affair with Christine Keeler, an alleged prostitute. At the time of the affair, Keeler was also involved with Yevgeny “Eugene” …read more
This is a great article from Vital Field’s blog that I know you’ll find interesting. I’ve had success with the Vital Field Pain Frequencell. It eliminates most if not all of my pain after a short time wearing the device. Everyone is different and it may take others longer to get relief.
This post contains affiliate links for which I earn a small commission when used, they do not cost you more and fund my coffee habit.
Individuals suffering with fibromyalgia typically live with chronic pain on a daily basis. Is there a better way to manage this pain?
Individuals suffering with fibromyalgia live with chronic, debilitating pain daily – yet they don’t appear to be hurting. In other words, there is no outward sign of injury that properly illustrates the pain they feel within.
This disconnect between how an individual with fibromyalgia feels, and how they appear to be healthy, leads to an array of challenges. These challenges include obtaining a correct diagnosis, obtaining the right treatment, and getting support from friends and family.
If fibromyalgia sufferers don’t appear to be hurt, and they seem healthy, how will they find support? Will the people in their lives understand, empathize with, or accommodate their pain? Maybe not.
Many fibromyalgia sufferers withstand chronic body pain without understanding that what they have is fibromyalgia.
Upon confirming a diagnosis, however, fibromyalgia can be treated effectively. Although there is no cure for fibromyalgia, pain management is possible through either traditional or alternative therapies, or a mixture of both.
WHAT EXACTLY IS FIBROMYALGIA?
The literal translation of the word “fibromyalgia” is “pain in the muscles.” Fibromyalgia is a complex chronic pain disorder that may cause pain in a specific area of the body. The pain may also become widespread and migrate to other areas of the body. About 10 million Americans are affected by fibromyalgia. Most fibromyalgia patients are women, though men do get diagnosed with the disorder as well. Fibromyalgia can occur in people of all ages.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF FIBROMYALGIA?
The symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary from person to person. Some general symptoms include:
Pain throughout the body
Stiffness in limbs and joints
Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
Pain in the jaw area or the face
Anxiety and depression
Cloudy thinking, memory problems, or difficulty focusing
Sleep issues
Abdominal pain, bloating, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES AND RISK FACTORS FOR FIBROMYALGIA?
Fibromyalgia affects people of all ages. However, for most people, diagnosis usually occurs during middle age. Fibromyalgia also has been linked to autoimmune disorders such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. People with PTSD, anxiety, or depression also have a higher risk of being diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
HOW IS FIBROMYALGIA DIAGNOSED?
Doctors may find fibromyalgia a challenge to diagnose. Because there’s no definitive test or scan that can diagnose fibromyalgia immediately, other disorders have to be ruled out before a diagnosis of fibromyalgia can be made. Often, patients seek multiple medical opinions and have to rule out different disorders to confirm a diagnosis of fibromyalgia.
HOW IS FIBROMYALGIA TREATED?
You should know that pain management is possible, even though fibromyalgia doesn’t have a cure. Pain management of fibromyalgia can be achieved through a variety of chronic pain management interventions, with a mix of traditional and alternative treatments. There are many natural and holistic pain management methods that work to reduce the pain. Unfortunately, chronic pain is the main symptom of fibromyalgia. The chronic pain can manifest as muscle tenderness or sensitivity, joint pain or stiffness, or even as full-body aches and pains. Treatment needs to include some form of daily chronic pain management. The Institute for Chronic Pain endorses interdisciplinary chronic pain rehabilitation as the “gold standard for treatment” of fibromyalgia. Studies have shown that multidisciplinary chronic pain rehabilitation was effective at reducing chronic pain and increasing quality of life among fibromyalgia sufferers. Interdisciplinary chronic pain rehabilitation consists of mild aerobic exercise and other types of physical therapy as needed, and non-narcotic pain medication. This can also include non-traditional, alternative forms of treatment. Interdisciplinary chronic pain rehabilitation utilizes a variety of treatments from various disciplines, specially tailored to each individual patient. Interdisciplinary chronic pain rehabilitation addresses the individualized nature of fibromyalgia, and can lead to an improved quality of life.The National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA) promotes a combination of traditional and alternative treatments stating, “Alternative treatments, nutrition, relaxation techniques, and exercise play an important role in fibromyalgia treatment as well. Each patient should, with the input of a healthcare practitioner, establish a multifaceted and individualized approach that works for them.”
Welcome back to Weekend Music Share; the place where everyone can share their favorite music.
Feel free to use the ‘Weekend Music Share‘ banner in your post, and don’t forget to use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.
Originally posted on Don’t Lose Hope : Relapse is commonplace when someone’s fighting an addiction; it’s something many deal with on their journey to success. Yet, Psychology Today[1] records that more give up addictions than those who stay addicted, or who constantly relapse. This should give us hope, and help stave off discouragement. Also, relapsing…
I was contacted by Angelina Valente after seeing my Organization That Can Help page asking if I would add Beyond My Battle to the list. I spent some time this morning looking over their website and was amazed at the support offered for people with Chronic Health Conditions, The Disabled, and for Caregivers. I wanted to do more than add to the list, I wanted to make sure you knew about the organization.
Here’s a little about Beyond My Battle
Cultivating resilience and reducing the stress of illness and disability through contemplative practice.
It isn’t uncommon to have a physical illness or disability. In fact, more than 155 million Americans live with a chronic illness, 61 million have a disability, and 25 million live with a rare disease. Also common is the overwhelming stress that comes with adapting to and managing any life-altering medical condition.
For someone living with a disease or disability, stress can further jeopardize health and strain needed relationships. For caregivers, stress leads to burnout and compromises emotional availability.
Research reveals that the way one copes with stress determines how it impacts their physical and emotional health, where an engaged approach results in higher levels of well-being and acceptance. Our programs foster engaged coping through contemplative practice and community engagement, an approach well-documented in reducing stress and cultivating resilience.
Our vision is to provide patients and caregivers with a unique model of support for life with health-related uncertainty.
Each month they offer Virtual Retreats for a small fee and the vast majority of the resources are free.
Did you know that sleep or lack not only affects your physical health but your mental health as well? Our bodies need time to regenerate from those long days at the office and the stress of life. Just how much sleep we need is different for each person and it’s important to know how many hours of quality sleep you need.
How much sleep do we need?
In general, the average healthy adult needs 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Experiments have demonstrated that the average amount of sleep needed to avoid detrimental effects on daytime function is about 8 hours and 10 minutes. It is recommended that adults beyond age 65 may need less sleep, averaging 7 to 8 hours instead. If excess time is spent in bed, insomnia will result.
Effects on mental health
Irritable
Lack of concentration
Reasoning
Alertness
Problem-solving
Anxiety
Depression
We know that we feel better after getting a good night’s sleep. The trick is how do we set ourselves up for better sleep.
Tips for Better Sleep
Good sleep habits (sometimes referred to as “sleep hygiene”) can help you get a good night’s sleep.
Some habits that can improve your sleep health:
Be consistent. Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, including on the weekends
Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature
Remove electronic devices, such as TVs, computers, and smart phones, from the bedroom
Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime
Get some exercise. Being physically active during the day can help you fall asleep more easily at night.
What to do if you can’t back to sleep
Stop watching the clock
Try relaxing your body
Find an uninteresting activity
If you haven’t fallen back asleep in 15-20 minutes, get out of bed.
Chronic insomnia affects up to 15 % of adults, and many don’t seek treatment for it.
A couple of years ago I realized that my mind was still reeling when it was time to go to sleep and I was too jacked up to fall asleep. I set out with a simple plan to spend an hour before bed shaking off the day. I’m much better for the time put in on the front side because now when it’s time for lights out my mind is ready. Here’s a post on my nighttime sleep routine. What I do leading up to sleep time is important and can make a difference in getting a restful night’s sleep.
lookingforthelight.blog 