In honor of #MentalHealthAwarness week, we’re chatting with Sheri about how to manage daily life when you just can’t seem to get it together.
When you’re not feeling well, even the little things seem like so much work; housework, keeping up with laundry, even making a meal suddenly becomes a hard-to-accomplish task. At times, even my blog posts are that task for me; not a lot of work since writing comes naturally and it’s easy to talk about things that directly affect my life daily. The past few weeks I haven’t been feeling the greatest and it seems like even those little things are hard to get moving on.
Is It Really That Big of a Deal?
I don’t have a job that takes me out of the house, I am quite fortunate that I am able to work from home which is a God Send with an IBD. That means I don’t have to worry about bathroom breaks, embarrassing bathroom issues, sharing a bathroom, pretty much all bathroom related nightmares that come with working. That said, I do have a daily and even weekly schedule that I like to stick to. Nothing in my daily life is what I’d call earth-shattering and if something needed to be pushed a day or two, it’s really not that big a deal.
I put a lot of pressure on myself to be “normal” and keep up with everything I want to accomplish. I struggle with guilt when I physically can’t do the things I want to get done. No one else is making me feel that way, not my husband or Pack Health. Both understand when I’m not feeling well, things don’t get done exactly as planned. I’ve started realizing that adding guilt on top of going through a flare does not make things any better and I’ve found it actually makes me feel sicker longer. I ask myself, “Is it really that big of a deal?” I will say 9 times out of 10, my answer is no and I realize my health and getting back on track is what is most important.
Don’t Suffer In Silence
Communicate to those around you when you are feeling ill and just can’t accomplish all you need to or want to. You’d be amazed at how supportive and understanding people can be if you give them the chance. Keeping it to yourself will only add to your stress and more in likely make you feel sicker for longer.
Talk to your Health Advisor, they are a great resource for when you just need to talk or vent your frustrations. They can also give you tips on how to manage your stress and even refer you to a mental health professional if you’re needing a little extra help.
My Two Cents
I would like to thank Pack Health for being so understanding and supportive when I’m not feeling well, as I don’t always get my blog posts in right when I’ve planned them and have had to reschedule calls with my Health Advisor from time to time. I highly recommend Pack Health for anyone with an IBD, struggling or not. What I got from my Pack Health Health Advisor and the program was insight, support, and skills that help me to better manage living with an IBD.
