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This blog is another opportunity to feel grateful. Thank you, dear Universe, you continue to bless me with recovery and health.
Real or imaginary, the word Phobia has intertwined with us over revolutions.
A phobia is an extreme version of a fear that’s unlikely to cause harm. If we suffer from phobias, it is capable of impacting our daily lives. It makes us weak and creates impossible situations to live normally. E.g. Acrophobia is an intense fear of heights.
It is still difficult to eradicate that day from my memory when I returned from my day’s work. As a relaxing activity, I decided to take an evening walk on the beach. The weather was like a pleasing animation with a climate for healthfulness. I still recollect those smiling faces and many things that came close to me feeling happy. It was sudden that I got leg cramps and aggravating pain in the lumbar region. A severe back spasm knocked me down on my knees. The experience shook me to the core as the pain was very intense. I was bedridden for days with painkillers, a hot water bottle, and some food supplements.
I was diagnosed with a rare disease called Isaacs’ Syndrome. Isaacs’ is a neuromuscular health condition that stems from muscle hyperactivity. My lift post-diagnosis underwent a drastic change. In the process, I also discovered that I had Lyme disease. Lyme is a bacterial illness that gets transmitted through ticks. I was also accompanied by Glaucoma. Glaucoma is an eye-related disease that damages the optic nerves. And Membranous Glomerulonephritis is a progressive kidney disease.
The sudden news of the life-altering diagnosis across diverse illnesses put me in a tight spot. Also, the worsening symptoms surrounded me with boundaries of rules, challenges, and perspectives. I developed an intense fear of present and future obstacles. I had a long list of unanswered questions. I must admit my lack of knowledge about my diagnosis, the causes, and how best I could handle it.
The diagnosis of Isaac’s Syndrome created most fear as it isn’t curable and only manageable. Over time, I developed symptoms like panicking, incremental heartbeats, and breathlessness.
It wasn’t easy to deal with these phobias as with time it turned intense. My mother stepped in to explain how my phobia and fears would only strain my self-confidence. As a family, we noticed that it distracted me from understanding the core problem. I was deeply affected and struggled with anxiety, feelings of grief, and low moods.
I was unable to solve the load of things myself and instead led to a disturbed emotional equilibrium. As a result, some of my body organs started to show signs of abnormal functioning.
Talking to a professional helped me find tools to manage my distress. It assured me of a non-judgmental experience and space to talk about my concerns.
The professional helped me identify that I had developed the following health phobias:
Nosophobia (constant fear of getting sick):
fearing a disease is natural yet having developed a fancy about it is dangerous. Any common instance was enough to remind me of my health and develop into a panic attack and rapid heart rate. Until enough resistance, I preferred staying away from medical news and patient stories. Instead, I practiced relaxation techniques and worked on a strong coping mechanism technique.
Anticipatory Anxiety (fear of what my future would bring):
Several mechanisms cause anxiety, and it has a lot to do with when the future is uncertain. I felt nervous and concerned about my future and the way the diseases would pan out. Working my way out of the disease helped me build future tolerance. I could understand and gauge uncertainties better.
Algophobia (fear of pain):
One of my key symptoms was intense stabbing pain. Despite heavy painkillers, the pain remained my main cause of concern. It was much later that I could manage some bit of it through various exposure therapies.
Treating phobias included mental therapies and medicines like:
- Adequate Information: Clearing myths and knowing things were great tools.
- Going out of my comfort zone to put in place solutions.
- Distracting the monkey mind
It took days for me to understand that the path to recovery was a gradual process. The solutions comprised baby steps. I involved myself in leisure activities. The positive effects of a casual walk, gardening, and pursuing hobbies were immense. It helped me gain back a wider psychological and cognitive well-being. It supported my physical health and quality of life.
- A touch of Spirituality
It is a technique that worked on various levels impacting my nervous, and immune systems. It supported my organs, tissues, and fasciae. The practitioner used a gentle touch to release stress, injury, and deep-seated trauma. I felt my muscles calming down which resulted in managing my phobias better.
- Medicines
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It was relieving to have access to a team of cooperative doctors.
A set of chronic and rare health conditions is not only a loss of self-control but also a loss of controlling normal circumstances. Thus, it’s fine to seek professional help to embrace control.
Though overcoming my landscape of phobias was challenging but a positive mindset helped. With enough support and guidance, I overcame my shortcomings. The process shifted my attention from negative thoughts.
Reshaping my core belief system about my diseases acted as a positive shift. I am engaged in many safety behaviours as a preventive measure against the future. It is because I believe in doing things to be safe and ensure good health.
As I progressed with my practices, I felt a sense of improvement. I realize my capability to be more active than I ever thought.
Please remember that aren’t going through this alone. No matter how annoying phobias are, with determination, we can deal with them, and we will. Words of Wisdom by Nelson Mandela ‘’The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.’’
My bottom line? We can try living a phobia-less life with a positive mindset.
DISCLAIMER
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not represent any kind of medical advice.
