Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi
Just wondered if anyone else has difficulty working out which are physiological feelings and which are psychological feelings? For example I might have a headache but don't realise it and just think I am in an angry mood. Only when someone who knows me well points it out that I might have a headache and I take some ibuprofen and it goes away (and the anger subsides) do I realise it was a headache. Also vice versa when I am anxious I sometimes interpret this as having a cold or some sort of virus as it makes me feel lethargic and I ache. Only when I realise the trigger for it and the anxiety passes do I realise it was anxiety....
This inability in its self stressed me out as I never really know what is wrong until afterwards.
Not fully effective, but I found flow charts starting with prominent symptoms helped. E.g. I get irritated a lot, drink water and wait 20-30 minutes, if it helped then dehydration headache-drink more, if not sit somewhere quiet and/or listen to stairway to heaven, if that helps it's an overload issue. If neither of these do then I'm either angry about something or low in potassium, so I eat some nuts/a banana etc and think over last 2 days.
Thanks sounds useful I will give this ago with what I know of myself so far.... I guess you have worked this out because you experience similar difficulties.
I do, but I find it very hard to develop systems to help myself. Generally find it much easier to find someone with similar problems, find a way that helps them and transfer it to myself. This originated in helping a friend's girlfriend if I recall, self care was not her strong point for other reasons and I often took her through similar checklists.