Day 8 Tracking symptoms

I am so thankful that the Day 8 page addressed the issue of tracking symptoms. The discussion was so helpful. I had been starting to think about that very thing the past few days. A couple years ago the naturopath I was seeing for adrenal fatigue (the condition that I until very recently presumed was responsible for many of my symptoms) had me start tracking my symptoms and I, in my thoroughness, have expanded that to my current crazy practice of tracking about 10 different symptoms daily, plus how I sleep each night (I have insomnia). I certainly see how that practice just reinforces the way this condition has taken over my life. Whenever I feel a flareup of a symptom, I have to make a mental note of it so that I can remember it when I am doing my daily tracking chart. This is pretty ridiculous, and it just focuses my attention further on my symptoms.

I struggle a bit with stopping all the tracking, since that is the only way I will be able to accurately know if I'm getting better. (And my memory isn't all that great.) Also, I'm on medication for anxiety (not helping yet), and my doctor will need to know how my symptoms are to know how to direct my medication.

This is what I'm thinking about doing. I know I need to stop most of this tracking and obsessing about symptoms. I think I will completely stop the daily tracking. Instead, I will consciously try to let the thought about the symptom pass quickly without trying to note it, quantify it, or emphasize it in any way. Like Forrest said, he started getting better when he stopped caring. I'm going to try to develop more of an "I don't care" attitude about the symptoms. Then, once a week, I will make some brief notes about what I remember about the symptoms for the week. I think that might accomplish both goals.

I haven't begun to improve yet after several weeks of working on this program, but that doesn't surprise me. I think I'm going to be one of the ones with a slow recovery. I hope that taking this step of de-emphasizing the symptoms will make a big difference.

 

You will know you are getting better when a few days have passed, and you realize you haven't thought about your symptoms at all.

You may not think that will happen at this point, but it will. You are on the right path with stopping tracking of your symptoms. This is a step in stopping the obsession on your body that fuels your TMS. If you want to track something, track the positive things that are happening in your life. A daily gratitude journal is a great way to do this. It helps shift our attention to looking for what's good in our lives. It's very simple, but powerful.

Best wishes to you on your recovery journey...

 

I like what Ellen said. Don't think about the symptoms or monitor them each day.
It's better to think about all the good things. Making a list of them is great advice.