Assignment Three from Bruce Campbell's CFS Recovery Program
What makes my symptoms worse?
Poor sleep
Not enough sleep
Getting off my sleep hygiene routine
Overexertion; physical, mental or emotional
Slight Overexertion for too long (easy to miss)
'Obsessive' working on a problem or project; working on one thing too long
Stress, worry
Failing to rest when I need to
Too much sensory input
Resting too “busily” (i.e., working on computer, reading, watching a movie... all too much sensory input and/or mental exertion)
What gives me a sense of control?
Sticking to my schedules
Choosing to put off an activity if I don't feel up to it
Choosing not to do more than I set out to do
My attitude: “Yes, I'll probably have this illness the rest of my life, but that doesn't mean I can't get *any* better. I may be able to improve my QoL considerably. Better may not be great, but it IS better.”
Achieving a goal, no matter how minor (make a meal, do the dishes,do the laundry, etc.)
Target: To walk more than a mile, faster than 3 mph, before noon, 4 days of the week.
Results: Close! I didn't walk before noon one day; otherwise, I hit all my marks.... But.... I ended up walking Friday, Saturday and Sunday and crashed myself – still recovering.
Lessons: I conclude that “before noon” and “>3 mph” might be too ambitious, putting stress and tension on myself. More than that, though, doing that walk three days in a row is too much. So I am restating my goal as follows: I will walk at least a mile every other day.
New Target:
I am *severely* deconditioned from the enforced lack of activity. It makes some things much harder to do, especially when it's something I did routinely and easily not *that* long ago. It makes me feel weak and more of an invalid than I want to feel. I think strength training will help me feel more in control.
What: Strength training
How Often: On those days I don't walk
How Much: 10 to 15 minutes
Confidence: 8.5
Poor sleep
Not enough sleep
Getting off my sleep hygiene routine
Overexertion; physical, mental or emotional
Slight Overexertion for too long (easy to miss)
'Obsessive' working on a problem or project; working on one thing too long
Stress, worry
Failing to rest when I need to
Too much sensory input
Resting too “busily” (i.e., working on computer, reading, watching a movie... all too much sensory input and/or mental exertion)
What gives me a sense of control?
Sticking to my schedules
Choosing to put off an activity if I don't feel up to it
Choosing not to do more than I set out to do
My attitude: “Yes, I'll probably have this illness the rest of my life, but that doesn't mean I can't get *any* better. I may be able to improve my QoL considerably. Better may not be great, but it IS better.”
Achieving a goal, no matter how minor (make a meal, do the dishes,do the laundry, etc.)
Target: To walk more than a mile, faster than 3 mph, before noon, 4 days of the week.
Results: Close! I didn't walk before noon one day; otherwise, I hit all my marks.... But.... I ended up walking Friday, Saturday and Sunday and crashed myself – still recovering.
Lessons: I conclude that “before noon” and “>3 mph” might be too ambitious, putting stress and tension on myself. More than that, though, doing that walk three days in a row is too much. So I am restating my goal as follows: I will walk at least a mile every other day.
New Target:
I am *severely* deconditioned from the enforced lack of activity. It makes some things much harder to do, especially when it's something I did routinely and easily not *that* long ago. It makes me feel weak and more of an invalid than I want to feel. I think strength training will help me feel more in control.
What: Strength training
How Often: On those days I don't walk
How Much: 10 to 15 minutes
Confidence: 8.5
Replies
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You seem to be in tune with yourself and becoming more aware of your limits.Good job Jack.Poor sleep would be at the top of my list also.I am taking ashwaghanda powder half an hr before sleep and it is helping for sure.Thanks for your update. Hugs Di.
Happy to share.
Good work! You have a real sense of what\'s going on with you. I think it was good that you can see that resting too \"busily\" can be harmful. I tend to do that as well, but I am learning that rest is really best done in silence and with my eyes closed, even if I don\'t sleep. Thanks for sharing.
Yes, watching video or reading isn\'t \'resting\' is it? I have to get some shooter\'s earplugs; some of my neighbors are pretty noisy. Sleep well.
yes, good job! Walking every other day sounds much better. Same w strength training. Good sleep is priority. Ear plugs, a must. Resting in total silence is true rest. TV or radio is too much stimulation., I agree. You are on a roll and what you are doing sounds really right on> Good for you!!!!
Thanks, Denise! Next step is to construct a *reasonable* schedule and remember to KEEP to it and REPLACE items rather than ADD things to it if need be.
I like the \"slight exertion for too long\" and \"obsessive working\". That\'s really good. That reminds me that another thing that makes symptoms worse for me is \"obsessive thinking\". It\'s absolutely exhausting. That might be where the amygdala training will come in really handy.
Diane, \"obsessive thinking\" -- how did I miss that??
Um... \"amygdala training\"? Did I miss something in the book?
Great job, Jack. Good to see you\'re getting some good information from this program and making progress. Hugs!
No, that\'s not in the Bruce Campbell program. The Amygdala retraining program is the Gupta program that a few of us talked about doing after the Bruce Campbell program is completed. Ashtok Gupta addresses thoughts about CFS and anxiety in general that contribute to CFS. I\'m jumping the gun a little but I think I\'ll be doing both because the Bruce Campbell program is giving my a great foundation and I think the Gupta program may fill in more of the emotional/mental aspects of CFS. http://www.guptaprogramme.com/
Thanks, Jenna. Yes, based on what I\'ve seen so far -- 3rd week -- I\'d recommend the course to anyone with CFS/SEID. It\'s only about $33-35.
Oh. I didn\'t remember, see, \'cause I have this chronic illness that affects my memory... ;-)
Thanks for the reminder and info.
Hahaha! So, Jack... when is the big trip???
in thirteen days.... No, not really excited at all... :p