Under Construction - MHWA Retreat

Definitely my kind of topic. So many things.

1. When I get startled, I have an immediate fight or flight reaction. Increased pulse and heartbeat, breathing fast. Ugh! Adrenalin.

2. My fibromyalgia kicks in pretty well when I'm depressed. Good example of the mind and body working against each other, and how I try to balance them both so they don't go so out of whack, though it isn't always possible.

3. Steroids can cause psychosis. It happened to me after a week in the hospital with my kidney. Nobody knew then I had adrenal failure, but I was increasingly agitated, like I had ants in my hospital gown. I was reacting weirdly to people, I was aggressive and loud, and my personality changed. Before my mother discharged me, I was growing enraged at the gang banger girl next door and her constant visitors. I do remember it, and it could have been much worse, but the increased steroids act a bit like a roid rage! Even though they aren't anabolic steroids. Definitely like a testosterone high or aggression and my mind felt every noise acutely. It's happened since, but never so bad, just more a sensitivity.

I agree with Neva, the body and mind are not indistinct, they definitely work together. For me and my woes, I tend to get down when my body is down, like the wreck it is. It isn't often it's the other way around, and for that I am most grateful. Of course I AM on two SSRIs (one is an SSNRI) so they definitely help me mentally. Nice side effect of their helping my fibro and other issue!

Then you have pain in and of itself, which does all KINDS of things to our brains via neurotransmitters and much more. A good example are your migraines Char! No way one works independent of the other, the body and the mind go together there. I'm a bear when I have so much as a headache, let alone an actual (rare for me) migraine. Ugh.

What has helped you overcome the physical manifestations of mental illness?

More like what's helped me overcome the mental manifestations of physical illness Just realizing it's a physical process brought on by disease and medications, really, and trying to stay grounded with routine of some sort. My cats keep me motivated to get up and get going, I think. I have to do their chores and give them their attention, and some days that's all I do. HOWEVER, I've been working on the raillllllroad! The house

I haven't been around much to blog guys, but never cause I don't want to, and gawd knows I have plenty to say