Managing chronic migraines can wear you down, both emotionally and spiritually. Like any other lifetime illness, migraine disorder can distress your social life, family relationships, and business associations, not to mention your own sense of self-esteem. But harboring negative feelings can impede recovery and trigger more migraines. Here are some helpful tips that will brighten your mood.
Acceptance
Migraine disorder is a neurological condition that will not go away on its own. Unfortunately, a mistake some migraine patients make is treating their symptoms like the metaphorical “elephant in the living room.” It’s one thing to put on a brave face for random well-wishers, but you should always be able to admit to close friends, family, and physicians when things are not so fine, and be able to ask for help.
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Remember that there’s nothing shameful in acknowledging when you’re having difficulty managing your migraines; it doesn’t make you weak or helpless, but rather improves your chances of eventually finding a life-long migraine management strategy that works.
Get migraines of your head
Anger, depression, despair, and anxiety are often comorbid conditions of migraine disorder. Learning how to release pent-up feelings in a healthy, controlled fashion is crucial for preventing migraine headaches, reducing stress, and avoiding life-threatening situations like heart attack, stroke, and drug addiction.
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If seeking psychological help is not an option, then get used to writing things down in a diary. If you’re already logging into a migraine journal, then use the opportunity to jot down feelings, concerns, and questions about migraines, or just anything that’s on your mind.
Accentuate the positive…
It’s hard to keep a positive outlook when your daily routine starts and ends with throbbing headaches, sore eyes, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and stiff neck pain. While nobody expects you to transform into Ms. Happy-go lucky overnight, that doesn’t mean that you can’t reap some of the benefits that positive thinking affords.
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In an oft-cited study on chronic pain, researchers noted a direct correlation between negativity among certain patients and an increase in pain symptoms. People who expressed an attitude of hopelessness and “catastrophized” their condition experienced the most stress, physical pain, and infirmity.
In contrast, test subjects who experienced similar pain levels but remained hopeful and optimistic were more likely to find effective pain management.
Read more about migraines and depression
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References:
Study finds that positive outlook on life eases chronic pain
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