themighty.com
18.02.2022 / 07:53
37%
417
The Dangers of 'Pushing Through' Chronic Illness Symptoms
When I was a kid, I developed my own ways to cope with the health difficulties I was facing without knowing that’s what I was doing. These coping mechanisms were often seen by adults as funny quirks and silliness, but they were never really challenged or discouraged until I got older. For example, to cope with physical symptoms, I’d hang upside down, sit and lay down in strange positions, and insist on sitting when expected to stand for too long. And to cope with mental/emotional symptoms, I’d find isolated places to hide both indoors and outdoors, go for long walks, and always kept a notebook on me for doodling and writing. If I was unable to practice my coping mechanisms when I needed them, it would cause me a lot of distress and sometimes cause me to be noticeably ill.