Overconsumption Of Media: the effect is has on your recovery.

I promise the irony is not lost on me...writing a blog about overconsumption.

But it is my intention that this blog helps you to restore your subjectivity & realise how much of an impact social media or your 'self research' is having on your CFS.

Firstly lets avoid any more self-blame by realising it's the lack of support in healthcare systems that has forced you to take things into your own hands & potentially end up in online spaces that have been more damage than good to your mindset.

A lot of the clients I work with on CFS Transformation have become more hopeless & defeated as a result of news articles or non-recovery stories they have been exposed to, than the disease itself!

But what do you do when you are desperate for some understanding, connection & guidance? 

Well if you are here, rest assured you are in the right place. 

My work supports people experiencing CFS to heal their relationship with their body, encourages nervous system regulation to come to a place of peace & a symptom free life. (if you havnt already found my podcast - its a great place to start).

Something I know for sure that can hold you back is overconsumption of media, when it comes to chronic symptoms nowadays anyone can take to the internet & claim to have the best technique to cure symptoms or the best brain training class etc. 

Equally there are lots of spaces that play host to people who haven't yet received the correct support & are eager to share how they ave been stuck like this for years and just get worse & worse...& worse.

None of this is helpful, thank you.

If you are serious about your recovery my best advice is to minimise your exposure to these things. Leave the facebook groups, unfollow people who are not certified in any way, ignore anyone or thing that claims to have a quick fix.

You cannot compare your journey to anyone else's because you are a different human, with your own set of experiences, trauma history, medical history, values & life.

If the support you are receiving or advice your are following isn't person centred...it can't be relied on as accurate for your circumstance. 

Your news feed can have a huge impact on how you feel about yourself & your prognosis, it also often results in increased anxiety, fear & stress...which is far from ideal.

So limit your exposure, & keep a subjective head on your shoulders.

Something to be aware of is that "doom scrolling" can be an easy habit to fall in to when we have CFS, simply because we can be restricted by what we can do physically or it an be used as a tool for escapism of what we are truly feeling. It's a coping mechanism! Also it can provide that quick dopamine hit that we struggle to find elsewhere.

Now i'm not claiming to be super human, I often find myself in a scroll hole too. But gaining more awareness around it can be helpful, next time you find yourself reaching for your phone...just take a moment to surf the urge & ask yourself "am I avoiding a sensation or emotion by doing this?" "how is this going to make me feel?"...

my answer to that question is almost always worse, anytime I go on my phone I certainly don't feel better for it...even if it wasn't particularly triggering content that was consumed.

Every now and then could you replace your phone scrolling with a different behaviour that you know will make you feel better? A walk, a stretch, making a cup of tea (that just what us brits do in difficult times apparently) but you get the gist...get creative!

Until next time,

Sky X