Published on 12, July, 2020
Given experience often helps, and there are often newly diagnosed members joining the forum, I thought if we shared the things that help us most in bullet points it would be an easy read reference for everyone?
For me, has been:
- Meeting only small groups if I plan to meet people
- Meditation & Breath work (helped anxiety & digestion)
- Symprove Probiotics (helped anxiety & digestion)
- Walking in nature (elevates mood)
- Watching childhood movies (calming)
I don't have many coping strategies, so it's good to read other people's, even though I struggle to apply them to the unique points of my own life. I do write (blog) to process my thoughts and feelings and sometime get useful feedback comments from online friends. I need lots of alone time too and am trying to be off the computer/phone more, although it's hard. Listening to music on headphones helps a bit when in crowds or shopping; I'd like to try noise-cancelling ones, although I'm worried about missing important announcements on the Tube, like the one that said my train was suddenly going somewhere completely different the other day (I would be pleased to miss some other Tube announcements, like the frequent "See it, say it, sorted" anti-terrorism announcements). I guess also walking in nature, although I rarely get the chance, and being with my wife (we're still long-distance).
The one about trains and headphones is important on Transport For Wales and Avanti out of Manchester when one has to change trains at Chester for Holyhead (for the ferry to Dublin) - the announcements on the Irish Rail DART trains and Dublin LUAS trams are even more annoying than the Manchester Metrolink trams and more recently Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann/Transport for Ireland coaches have started these onboard announcements which is so annoying