Stress... well, what can I say about it? Life's stresses are certainly enough to handle all their own, but adding a disease to the mix only complicates things further. I've never been very good with stress management, to be honest with you.
My escape used to be Shotokan Karate... and then IBD took that dream from me. These days I relieve stress by blogging. Talking with friends and helping them deal with their stresses helps a little.
Prayer gets me through the most stressful days. Having friends to lean on and talk to also helps... which is why I would recommend some sort of tight-knit support.
I have also been known to draw out my emotions. There's something so satisfying about putting pencil to paper and just sketching. I've done it many times and it really helps.
Also, snuggling my cat, Mr. Darcy. It's true! Owning a pet can reduce stress. Also, there's something so soothing about a cat's purr.
What are some things that help you relieve stress?
Trying to keep my stress in check goes as follows. Love knowing our God is always there for me when I need to talk to him for support ( prayer is amazing ). My hubby is always there for me too. Deep relaxing breathing has helped me as well. I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease 19 years ago after a resection it was life changing for the good. Although the past year had 2 bowel blockages trying to eat what I think will not land me back in the ER again. Two years ago my hubby was diagnosed with UC after many trial and error of med's he is now trying a biologic praying for the results he needs. We are raising 3 teenagers, one graduating high school this year and our twins are freshman in high school. We certainly know that stress is all around us and we both have different ways of coping. Thank you for sharing your ideas of how to cope with stress too. Blessing in your journey with this disease.
ReplyDeleteDawn, Sounds like you're having a rough time off it. I hope and pray that this season in life passes quickly and that you can soon enjoy some rest and seasons of peace. Thanks for reading and commenting!
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