Mental Health Matters

As a recovered alcoholic, now dealing with Central Pain Syndrome, it is vital that I maintain good mental health. This isn't always easy. Like most people living with chronic pain I have ups and downs. Slipping back into the abyss of obsessive drinking isn't an option for me, so as a means of survival I need to keep myself well. My mental wellbeing and spiritual growth matter.

I was lucky in the sense that when I developed CPS I was physically strong and healthy. I wasn't overweight, I didn't smoke and I had already overcome serious mental illness. In the past I have been diagnosed with psychosis and borderline personality disorder, to name a couple off my doctors notes. I was no longer medicated on anti-psycotics and had worked hard to build a future for my family. I also had a strong faith along with a daily meditation practice that allowed me to deal with stress without effort.

I was unprepared for the mental battering that CPS was about to unleash on me. At a few months into the pain I began experiencing auditory and visual hallucinations. Symptoms of suppressed resentment and stress. Symptoms I have experienced in the past. I found myself cloaked in deppresion and frustration as I fought with my body.

My mind was struggling to cope. It felt like my world was crumbling down around me. My ability to support and take care of my family was suddenly becoming impossible. I was eventually signed off work whilst I underwent tests. I felt myself slipping backwards and felt alone and frightened. My faith was the only thing keeping me afloat at times.

Image Credit: ©Kelsey Rein

It was up to me to dig myself out of the hole I found myself in. My wife suggested that rather than reading up on the negative effects all the time, I look at ways to improve and manage my situation.

Stacey was right. My focus needed to shift to a more positive position. I had been stuck in the mud, stressed and overwhelmed. She suggested I find others suffering from the same condition. That was when I found the Central Pain Syndrome foundation’s Facebook page.

I began to connect with others who understood what I was going through. I found instant support and helpful advice. The sense of community I found brought great comfort at a testing time.

I also began to look at ways I could take care of myself physically. I began doing hydrotherapy. Just being weightless in the water felt good, It was a way to exercise without overdoing it.

As I started a routine of self care my situation improved. Meditation (as I mention a lot), was a way to overcome the negative thoughts and emotions that had been overwhelming me.

Don't get me wrong, there are times I struggle mentally, and times that it gets too much to cope with. But I am learning to make the most of my situation. A positive attitude can be a strong ally against the monster. And good mental health can make a big difference to our lives.

Questions or comments? Join the CPS patient conversation at our closed Facebook group or email us at info@cps.foundation