Rest and heal or white knuckle?

[[Ka...]]

Which has been a more succesful approach for you folks? I hear conflicting arguments about healing during withdrawl. I'm 6 months of, but have been stuck in a debilitating wave the last week. Is it better to rest and relax or force myself to white knuckle through the racing heart and depersonalization and go about my normal routine? Which is better for recovery? Thanks!

[[Bu...]]

I have to listen to my body, see what symptoms I'm having and go from there.  Some days I have to just get as much rest and distraction from symptoms as possible.  On the days I feel better, I'm able to go grocery shopping, walk the dog, do some stretching.  Sometimes I don't want to go out but, then feel better if I do.  Such an unpredictable process for sure.  Hope your wave lets up.

[[Ch...]]

Pushing may make the symptoms feel worse, although you may also be distracted by doing things even though you feel bad.  I think I might shoot for middle ground... do what I could do and spend a lot of time distracting myself on the couch with my laptop or television.

 

Either way, your body will continue to heal.

[[er...]]

I think it's better to push through it and white knuckle it, IF you can..?  I think that kind of thing is like "exposure therapy" or whatever that concept is called..  I've always felt better about myself for pushing through things, if I can vs. just resting - as I am more prone to "beating myself up" for resting, when maybe I could have been productive.

 

However, that being said, I do rest a lot - as I guess my CNS needs it, after going through the day(s)..

[[Bl...]]

I don't know what I should be doing, but at 15 months out all I want to continue to do is lay on the couch. It seems counter intuitive to push your body if it's screaming at you with fatigue and weakness to rest. I wish I knew what the right thing to do is. I just want to rest...seemingly forever 

[[Ch...]]

I don't know what I should be doing, but at 15 months out all I want to continue to do is lay on the couch. It seems counter intuitive to push your body if it's screaming at you with fatigue and weakness to rest. I wish I knew what the right thing to do is. I just want to rest...seemingly forever 

 

I get it, I did too.  The thing was, I could do anything I had to do, I just didn't want to do anything.  Sorry, had a longer post, but my cat just stepped on the 'delete' button.

[[Kl...]]

I believe in listening to my body, but not to the point of continuously laying around and doing nothing in life. That creates a vicious cycle where you lose motivation to do anything and become disconnected from the world.

 

But I've had my days where I will nap all day, forgo doing chores, etc.

[[ke...]]

Fake it till you make it. Get on with life. It will help you build confidence.

[[...]]

I wish I knew the answer to this. I've continued to work, which is often a white knuckle ride. I've had a few days off and because I want to be like I 'normally' would be at home, I'm frustrated and it's making me worse. Yesterday, as usual started off dreadful but got a little better and I was able to busy myself. Last night I felt OK, like I'd done well considering. Went to bed exhausted and couldn't sleep, had lots of body pain etc. Today I feel back to square 1 again, like this will never end and I'm just going crazy 

[[Fi...]]

I've never forced things "against the grain". I believe that any form of striving, from a low base, would be counter-productive and very probably set-back-ish.

 

It is similar to physical exercise; there are periods during which that will deplete you more and other, different periods, during which it will build you up and strengthen you. The wisdom to know 'when' comes from listening to your body. It may actually take more self-control to say "not yet" rather than plunge mindlessly into it 

 

My rationale is that there will be plenty of time for pushing and shoving when I get to the other side of this fence - and I will do plenty of that, then, when the time is right 

 

More tea anyone?  :laugh:

[[He...]]

Very tricky balance I find and extremely individual.  So much about this experience feels upside down and counterintuitive.  When I was well I was very active and athletic and easily social.  Since I've been in this recovery process I have had to dial everything WAY back and live in this narrow band of experience for the most part.

 

I have been at this for a while so I've had a lot of time to observe.  What I've mostly concluded is that there is no one answer to this question.  Each day is unique and each experience of recovery is unique.  Some days I have thought I was up for a certain thing only to be slammed back down to the couch after attempting it.  Almost never have I felt better by doing something when I started from a place of yuck.  Occasionally, as in the case of one of my kids events, I have started out extremely anxious and then as I settled into being there the anxiety decreased. 

 

For the most part I've come to trust my motto which is "when I can I do."  I trust that my natural urge to move and do and be productive is right there under the surface.  And it organically arises on the days when I have enough health.  This attitude has helped somewhat with all the what ifs regarding the questions of "how much should I push myself?"  and "if I'm not pushing myself am I making myself worse?"  Those sorts of questions which easily torment us.

 

Here's to hoping for easier days for all of us

 

Karen