48 months: improving after setback

[[Ch...]]

Hi all,

Just dropping in for a check-in. Some major life stressors caused a setback for three months, but now it’s passed and I feel much better. In the setback, I woke up every day in a panic that lasted until 8 pm. I had obsessive, spiralling thoughts and felt like something was going to attack me. Now the stressors have calmed and my system is recovering again. I sleep well, when I wake up I have a couple of minor jolts of worry, but then for the most part my day is ok though in the afternoons I can feel the buzz of slightly higher anxiety.
 

As for life generally, I’m doing pretty well. Making up for lost time by writing a novel that’s now at 70k words, coordinating a grassroots advocacy campaign for Long COVID awareness, and finishing my PhD. I can still feel recovery happening because my system is more sensitive to stressors, even my everyday cortisol cycles, and the impact of major events hits hard. But more or less I can live the life I want. 
 

Perodic reminder: the benzo recovery community is what got me into Long COVID advocacy because I saw folks having setbacks after COVID infections. Benzo warriors are so brave and patient that I don’t want folks to have their healing negatively impacted by something preventable. Also I think research needs to be done so that folks can distinguish between Long COVID and benzo injuries because the overlap is significant, but the treatments can diverge. This is not to say if you’ve had COVID you definitely will have a setback, but when you’re monitoring progress it’s another variable to consider.
 

Heal well, friends!

Edited June 18 by [Ch...]

[[Br...]]

Hello @[Ch...] - thank you for this update.  So glad your setback eased off.  It sounds like you're doing some very important work raising awareness about the impact of Long Covid - and you're doing it at the same time as writing a novel and finishing your PhD, all while coping with lingering symptoms in recovery!

On 18/06/2024 at 03:12, [[C...] said:

Benzo warriors are so brave and patient

This is a rough path and you're so right about Benzo Warriors - and that includes you!