How to deal with "set backs" in CFS

Too often I see people who suffer with CFS fall into the narrative of having "set backs". This is all about perspective...and in this short blog I hope to change yours to support your healing.

Viewing a flare up of symptoms or a random stressful life event as a "set back" is what makes it become so.

I encourage you to re-frame your "set backs" to "the hard parts of recovery".

This mindset shift allows you to believe you are still progressing, still moving in the right direction and therefore prevents you increasing negative emotion and panic.

Recovering from CFS is going to be hard (you knew that), so when it gets hard ...why would you be surprised or feel like you're are going backwards? 

If you do nothing else, re-frame your set back to just another had phase of recovery, reassure yourself you are still progressing & its your response to this situation that will dictate how soon you come out of it.

The only thing that will make you go backward in recovery and regress is the belief that you are. Because of all the negative emotion & extra stress that comes with it.

Progress is not linear, meaning there will be ups and downs, good times and bad times throughout your recovery, if you can expect that ...it won't surprise you and disappoint you when the challenging moments arrive.

And when they do I encourage you to meet yourself with compassion and appreciation for your body, know that it is doing the best it can. The kinder you can be to yourself during these times the sooner they will pass.