How do you burn time while suffering

[[Tr...]]

How do you distract yourself? I cannot think/focus. How do people last months?????

I am currently having intense gut clenches, cannot eat. Body bracing for impact that never comes. I catch myself holding my breath. The bad thoughts are buzzing. Inner restlessness, agitation, chest jittery. It's maddening. Cardio and walking barely helping.

87 days off brain drugs. 

Edited July 24, 2023 by [Tr...]
Added symptoms

[[ma...]]

You have to eat, you need your strength, small meals often, can you manage soup.  I know what your going through, this is so hard! I promise there will be an end to this suffering.

Do you have a hobby, if not find something you like doing.  I wrote poems when I was in the thick of it, painting, light exercise, walking is good, even a short walk takes your mind away from symptoms.  Listening to my favourite music would help drown out the intrusive thoughts that used to fleet in and out all day long.  Reading, I found it difficult to concentrate but audio books I enjoyed.  Word puzzles, crosswords, jig saws.  If you have a garden and you are able to potter about, get out in the fresh air.

You will come through this, hang in there.

Magrita

[[dj...]]

I play music so that is one thing.  Lots and lots of TV.  Movies, shows, sports. Games on my phone.  Explore new music.  Thankfully I have some pretty vibrant text message groups with old friends that helps keep me in touch with others.  When I just feel like I need to get out of the house, I will just get in the car and drive around the neighborhood for a bit just to get out. 
 

I don’t have the concentration to read. I can’t move around much without symptoms getting too bad so no walks or exercise.  

[[or...]]

Trustin I watched LOTS of movies  on my phone. Also played a ton of games. I was pretty much unable to read, so reading was out (I've since recovered so thankfully that's all over). I got a bit of agoraphobia so only walked down the trail into the woods a little ways behind my house. The great outdoors scared me. I made myself drive, though, even if it was to the PO (about a mile).I wanted to not lose my routines. And I posted on this BB to my fellow suffering friends in the old "Working Group" (yes I continued to work. I'm a writer so I worked from home). I listened to lots of music, too.

Hope some of this helps you. It's miserable, I know. but it'll pass. And you'll barely remember bad how you felt.

Katz

[[Je...]]

You're going to laugh, but I vacuum. It's movement, I dust at the same time so I'm rearranging items on shelves and doing some tidying up, I don't really have to think about what I'm doing. When I'm really feeling out of sorts, that's my go-to. 

 

[[Ma...]]

The most effective for me was doing anything outside and moving, at a relative slow pace.  Walking outside was definitely one of the best activities. 

[[Pi...]]

I fed the birds and squirrels in my backyard  peanuts.  It was a really simple thing to do but got my interest.  They wait for me every morning which is pretty sweet. I played a game similar to WORDLE over and over again.  I watched tv.  I listened to podcasts from LA and I know way too much about the RHOC.  I went to the gym but could hardly do it.  My social anxiety/anxiety was pretty bad but slowly I created a routine with the treadmill and weight machines and mat.  It was the only thing I could do.

[[An...]]

I pass most of my time listening to audio podcasts. I also watch a lot of youTube videos, mostly about healthy nutrition. I meditate (or at least I try) 3X / day (15 min sessions).

I am starting to read a little more (hard to concentrate tho) and I exercise daily (light cardio mostly) 5-6 days per week on my stationary bike. I also have a membership to a 24/7 health and fitness gym but I have not been going nearly as much as I would like. I play that by ear. On days when I don't feel too crappy, I go and do some light resistance training (45 mins - one hour).

 

 

[[cl...]]

Landscaping and outdoor exercise.  In summer of 2020 I didn't know about gradual tapering, cut my K dose too too quickly and my CNS went haywire.  It was 3 months of hell.  I couldn't tolerate the stimulation of TV and movies, couldn't focus on reading.  But I was able to lay out a gravel and rock landscaping plan, and clean out an outdoor storage area that I had put off for years.  Eventually I stabilized and settled into a slow liquid taper that went without incident.  And though that summer was terrifying, to this day I look at my rock garden and love how it turned out.

[[...]]

Walking, gardening, diaphragm breathing, seeing people.