My EDS Challenge Day 26- Self Care in Hypermobile Life

I am taking part in #MyEDSChallenge and #MyHSDChallenge with the Ehlers Danlos Society. Since May is EDS awareness month, every day I will be sharing something about myself and my EDS journey to drive further awareness and community.

Day 26- Self care

Its important to take the time (even if its just a few minutes here and there) for self care. EDS/HSD or not. But especially if you have a chronic illness. There’s always the voice in your head that is beating yourself up when you’re always in pain. “I should be doing more, im just dragging everyone down, I can’t make any real contributions” etc. Or “I dont deserve x y or z”. So self care should attempt to take yourself out of that mentality for awhile. The age old saying is you can’t help others if you don’t help yourself first, and its true. With chronic illness, there is equal part mental and physical to the issue, some days one over the other. Some of my self care items are as follows:

🧡 Excercise & walks
🧡 Educating myself on the latest excercises/treatments/research on EDS/HSD
🧡Being more conscious & appreciative of nature/outdoors
🧡Taking small breaks when doing any type of physical tasks
🧡Making time for mental health in therapy (we all need it)
🧡Animal crossing new horizons or video games to turn off the inner thoughts
🧡Reaching out to other people with EDS/HSD
🧡Spending money on massage & physical therapy
🧡Not beating myself up over cancelled or changed plans because of pain.
🧡Removing myself from stressful situations when necessary
🧡Keeping people around able bodied or not who believe you and support you.
🧡Reading & podcasts
🧡Working on small goals
🧡Some arts & crafts
🧡Practicing spanish/ another language
🧡 Linkin Park & Mike Shinoda 🥰
🧡Obtaining good food and suppliments
🧡Prioritizing rest & sleep
🧡Asking for help when needed
🧡Working part time to have more time to devote to quality of life.
🧡Devoting time to hobbies
🧡Tea & cuddling
🧡Journaling/ Blogging/ Writing
🧡Heating pads, pain control tools & hot salt baths.

Last updated May 26, 2021