Living With Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia can make your everyday tasks harder to do. For some people with fibromyalgia, simple things they once took for granted, like going for a walk or cleaning, can become difficult. It's quite common for people to find that the chronic pain of fibromyalgia has a big impact on their social life. You may have noticed that it is now harder for you to take part in some activities. Going to work may be more difficult too.

Fibromyalgia can be hard to understand. Your friends and family may not always know what you are going through. Even members of the health care system may not be as sensitive to your experience as you may wish. Maybe the support you need has been lacking. Sometimes, people with fibromyalgia find themselves fighting their condition alone.

Fibromyalgia and depression

Fibromyalgia is not a mental disorder. But sometimes people with the condition may feel depressed or anxious. In fact, the rates of depression and anxiety with fibromyalgia are similar as those found in other chronic pain conditions.

Stress plays a big role in how you respond to different situations, both physically and emotionally. Stress can have a significant impact on your ability to do the things that are important to you. Managing your level of stress can help reduce feeling overwhelmed or anxious. Allow yourself time each day to relax. That may mean learning how to say no without feeling guilty. But it's important to stay active and keep to a routine you can manage. People who do tend to do better than people who stop working and quit being active. There are many different stress management techniques to try that are easy to learn; such as meditation, deep breathing, and visualization exercises.

Emotional support can help

Learning to cope with a chronic illness is a challenge. It's hard to be in pain all the time and be limited by what you are able to do. Good support can help you deal with fibromyalgia.

Try to find ways to get emotional support. Try reaching out to family and friends. Let them know how they can help you manage your condition and give you support. Working closely with a health care professional who understands your condition is also important.

Support groups

Support groups exist all over the country, as well as online. They can offer you a place to talk with others who have similar situations and are likely going through some of the same things. Support groups can help you learn more about fibromyalgia and give you ideas about ways to manage it. Often, these groups will have guest speakers who discuss subjects of special interest to people with fibromyalgia. Some groups offer counseling sessions with a trained counselor who may focus on talking about and coping with your illness. Other groups may discuss how to become closer to your friends and family. All of these skills may help you better manage your fibromyalgia.

According to Media Awareness, a site dedicated to helping people better utilize the Internet, a helpful way to evaluate potential resources is to use the "five Ws" to assess the validity and credibility of online information:

WHO is the source? Has anyone taken responsibility for the content of this Web site? Can you verify that the author or sponsor is an authoritative and credible source of information?

WHAT are you getting? Does the site's information seem complete and well organized? Is the data biased in any way? Does the site offer multiple viewpoints? Are there links to alternative viewpoints?

WHEN was it created? Is the data current? Does a reference date show when the material was put online, or when it was last updated? Do the links work?

WHERE are you? Learn how to understand a Uniform Resource Locator (i.e., URL or "site address"). The URL contains the domain name of the organization or individual hosting the Web site. The type of organization behind a Web site can give some clues to its credibility.

WHY are you here? Is the Internet a logical place to look for the kind of information you are seeking? Can you get the information faster off-line? Are you able to verify this information? How can you tell the credible information from the questionable information online? When in doubt, look further. Caution is wise in assessing information on the Internet. You may also want to double-check your facts and sources.

Key point to keep in mind: Getting support can go a long way toward helping you manage your fibromyalgia.