The social side of social media can be very important when you have a chronic illness and are home much of the time. It is a helpful way to feel more connected to the outside world and to other people.
A downside is when social media makes you feel more alone. This can happen when you keep seeing the best bits of a lot of people’s lives all at once. Social media quickly reminds you of the things you wish you could be doing and how different your life is because you have a chronic illness. Of course you know it is a highlights reel, with a few complaints, and poor me comments thrown in- often quite mild issues compared to what you are coping with.
Here are some steps you can take to build good habits around how you use social media so you are in more control of what you see. Pick one or two to try that you think might suit your needs.
Do you long to go jogging/to the gym/play netball/go hiking etc. but find these activities aren’t realistic for you at the moment? We still need to find ways to move our bodies with a chronic illness and yoga is a gentle way to do this. If you have the capacity to attend a yoga class I hope the following information will help you feel more ready to try. Your mind and body benefit in endless ways from getting the blood flowing, the muscles and joints moving, and tuning into your breath.
Podcasts help fill a lot of hours for me when I am stuck in bed resting or recovering. I heard about Serial when it was first released with episode one on This American Life. I loved hearing people talk about it as it started growing in popularity and then developing a cult following. The following podcasts have been big in 2017 with fans of Serial (including me!).
There are 168 hours each and every week. When you are chronically ill this can alternate between seeming like forever and not nearly enough time. When you aren’t well tasks can take longer to get done, especially when much of the time you may be stuck in bed or on the couch biding your time till there is a window of lesser symptoms. It can be easier to make time to get non-negotiable tasks done or tasks for someone else buy much harder to devote time to less urgent personal things. Life with a chronic illness is so much better when you can include activities you enjoy so life is more than the “tasks of daily living”, TV, and the internet.