Your Migraine Support System

There is no doubt that Migraine is a very isolating disease. For most of us when we have a Migraine attack, we seek our cave – a dark, quiet place where we can limit the stimulation and lie down until the pain passes. We often miss social opportunities with family and friends; we often have to call out of work or rearrange our working hours. And most of us do not like to complain, or look too different from anyone else, so we get good at covering up our pain, and pretending. That isolates us even more, because we sit with people, pretending to be taking part in the conversation, while we are locked up in the pain or the anticipation of pain in our own heads, and not really being part of the group we are in.

It’s lonely dealing with a disease that eats away days and weeks of our lives, and isolates us where the sound and the light won’t bother us. Some of us deal with friends, families and co-workers who don’t understand Migraine disease, who insist we are making it up, that it’s “all in our heads.” We all need support – we need people who understand.

I started developing the Free my Brain site and my Migraine Management Coaching business about eighteen months ago after coaching several chronically ill people successfully, and realizing that I could teach the relaxation techniques and Migraine management tools I use myself. Treating Migraine takes managing multiple aspects of our lives and health – and that takes support. I knew how to provide that support, and I began building a web presence so I could give that support to more people. But I got a surprise. I went on line to get to know the community of Migraineurs out there, and I also got support that I need, every day, to keep doing what I do. The people who support me remind me that every day will not be so bad, that life is still worth living, that there is hope.

We need to cultivate our support systems - building them up when we feel able to so they will be there when we need them. We need to do what we can for the people who support us, when we can. In other words, we need to build our stock of resources.

Consider these people who can support you in a variety of ways:

* Doctors - you need a good medical doctor to track and coordinate your care and help you find appropriate medication.
* Complementary practitioners - chiropractors, massage therapists, acupuncturists, bio-feedback practitioners, and nutritionists, among others, can help you relax, rechannel your energy, maintain your general health, manage and reduce pain.
* Therapists - supportive therapy can help us deal with the emotions our illness causes.
* Coaches - a coach can help you create a plan to manage your life with Migraine and help you generate the energy and enthusiasm to move ahead with your plan. That’s what I do - contact me to hear more about it.
* Another great form of personal support comes from other migraineurs, whether you join an online community or group such as my personal favorite, the forum at My Migraine Connection; chat with other Migraineurs on Twitter or Facebook; join or start a face to face Migraine support group; or get on the phone with other Migraineurs in a relaxation teleclass; or join one of our Managing Life with Migraine teleconferences.

Where is support missing in your life? Sometimes making a list of the pieces that are missing and taking just one step at a time can make a big difference. Like finding one person to talk to, giving a teleclass a try, or scheduling one doctor’s appointment.

What can you do to build your support system?