It's certainly true that living with fibromyalgia - or any chronic illness - can adversely affect mental and emotional well-being. The reverse is also true - unresolved emotional trauma (no matter how small it may seem) can either be the cause or trigger for the onset of conditions like fibromyalgia.
Within the fatigue, the fog and the exhaustion I feel a deep sense of sadness and grief. These emotions were not caused by fibro - in some respects they ARE fibro (for me at least). If I didn't have these deep feelings, I probably wouldn't have got fibro. And so I have had to look more deeply and ask myself, "What does this sadness want to say? If the grief had a voice, what would it say?"
Many highly sensitive people end up with some form of chronic pain because they struggle to cope in a seemingly harsh and uncaring world, because they feel so deeply and don't understand how other people can apparently waltz through life unaffected by what is happening around them and in the wider world.
Thank you for opening up and sharing such a personal and insightful perspective. What you’ve said about sadness and grief being intertwined with fibromyalgia really resonates. Reflecting on what these emotions are trying to communicate shows such a deep level of self awareness and a desire to understand yourself on a profound level.
Your thoughts on being a highly sensitive person also struck a chord. Feeling so deeply in a world that often feels indifferent can be both a heavy burden and a unique strength. I hope we can all find moments of peace and clarity as we continue on this journey.
This completely resonates with me but be because people don't understand what Fibromyalgia is and because it's so difficult to explain i end up trying to avoid it completely. Sometimes i even lie simply because it's easier. Arthritis is my go too because people understand that. They get it. And they don't ask endless questions and i don't have to endlessly explain. A task in itself that i find exhausting and to be honest boring and repetitive. And the thing is, i do look robust and healthy like many with our illness so i end up feeling like i have to descibe it all to justify the fact that i don't work and i don't 'join in' with social gatherings and activities. It's such an isolating illness but sometimes that can makes it easier to cope with. I don't have to explain myself or feel guilty (which is often) because people look at me sideways with scepticism and question marks. The fibro fog just makes it all the more complicated as anyone with Fibromyalgia knows. And you're description of depression and self doubt and loneliness is spot on. Not being able to join in and not even wanting too takes it's toll and i have lost sense of the real me. It's like somehow I'm standing behind someone else while they take over my life and i can only hope that one day i can push my way back in front of this imposter and show the world who i used to be. Still, its comforting to know I'm not alone with this even though i would never wish this on anyone else. But you show that the constant battle going on in my head isn't just me going mad but actually quite normal for someone in constant relentless pain. Thankyou so much for saying, explaining and telling us your experience with Fibro.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. What you’ve said resonates so deeply, and I completely understand why you feel the need to avoid explaining fibromyalgia and lean on something like arthritis instead. It’s exhausting, mentally and emotionally, to constantly feel like you have to justify what you’re going through, especially when you look “fine” on the outside. People don’t realize how heavy that burden of explanation can be, and it’s not just exhausting—it’s draining to the point where you end up isolating yourself just to avoid the conversations altogether.
I can absolutely relate to what you said about losing your sense of self. It’s like this illness slowly steals pieces of you, and you’re left feeling like a shadow of the person you used to be. The guilt, the self-doubt, the loneliness—it all compounds, and I think a lot of us with fibromyalgia go through that. But like you said, there’s some comfort in knowing you’re not alone, even though it’s a reality we wouldn’t wish on anyone else.
I admire your strength for being so open about how tough it really is. That feeling of standing behind someone else while they take over your life—wow, that hits home. It’s like you’re watching yourself from a distance, and it’s hard to even recognize who you are anymore. But don’t lose hope. You are still here, even if it feels like the “real you” is buried right now. The fact that you’re fighting this battle, even quietly, speaks to your resilience.
Thank you for being so honest and sharing your story. It reminds all of us that we’re not going mad or making things up—this struggle is real, and we’re in it together. Sending you so much strength and understanding.
Thank you for this -- perfectly timed. My mental health has been on a downward spiral over the last few months, and it's a really tough fight not to give up. But of course being a fibro warrior, this hasn't been my first rodeo.
Just knowing someone out there "gets it" is comforting. 💜
I’m so sorry to hear that you’ve been struggling lately, but I’m really glad the post came at a time when you needed it. It’s such a difficult journey, and I completely understand how exhausting it can feel, especially when it seems like your mental health is spiraling. The fight not to give up is so real, but you’re absolutely right—being a fibro warrior means you’ve faced this before, and you’ve made it through. That strength is still in you, even on the days when it feels buried under all the pain and frustration.
Just knowing that someone else understands can be such a huge relief, and I want you to remember that you don’t have to face this alone. There’s a whole community of people who “get it,” and we’re all rooting for each other. Sending you lots of strength and support—you’ve come so far, and even though it’s tough, you’re still here fighting. That’s something to be proud of. 💕
It's certainly true that living with fibromyalgia - or any chronic illness - can adversely affect mental and emotional well-being. The reverse is also true - unresolved emotional trauma (no matter how small it may seem) can either be the cause or trigger for the onset of conditions like fibromyalgia.
Within the fatigue, the fog and the exhaustion I feel a deep sense of sadness and grief. These emotions were not caused by fibro - in some respects they ARE fibro (for me at least). If I didn't have these deep feelings, I probably wouldn't have got fibro. And so I have had to look more deeply and ask myself, "What does this sadness want to say? If the grief had a voice, what would it say?"
Many highly sensitive people end up with some form of chronic pain because they struggle to cope in a seemingly harsh and uncaring world, because they feel so deeply and don't understand how other people can apparently waltz through life unaffected by what is happening around them and in the wider world.
Hi Rob,
Thank you for opening up and sharing such a personal and insightful perspective. What you’ve said about sadness and grief being intertwined with fibromyalgia really resonates. Reflecting on what these emotions are trying to communicate shows such a deep level of self awareness and a desire to understand yourself on a profound level.
Your thoughts on being a highly sensitive person also struck a chord. Feeling so deeply in a world that often feels indifferent can be both a heavy burden and a unique strength. I hope we can all find moments of peace and clarity as we continue on this journey.
Take care,
Sarah
This completely resonates with me but be because people don't understand what Fibromyalgia is and because it's so difficult to explain i end up trying to avoid it completely. Sometimes i even lie simply because it's easier. Arthritis is my go too because people understand that. They get it. And they don't ask endless questions and i don't have to endlessly explain. A task in itself that i find exhausting and to be honest boring and repetitive. And the thing is, i do look robust and healthy like many with our illness so i end up feeling like i have to descibe it all to justify the fact that i don't work and i don't 'join in' with social gatherings and activities. It's such an isolating illness but sometimes that can makes it easier to cope with. I don't have to explain myself or feel guilty (which is often) because people look at me sideways with scepticism and question marks. The fibro fog just makes it all the more complicated as anyone with Fibromyalgia knows. And you're description of depression and self doubt and loneliness is spot on. Not being able to join in and not even wanting too takes it's toll and i have lost sense of the real me. It's like somehow I'm standing behind someone else while they take over my life and i can only hope that one day i can push my way back in front of this imposter and show the world who i used to be. Still, its comforting to know I'm not alone with this even though i would never wish this on anyone else. But you show that the constant battle going on in my head isn't just me going mad but actually quite normal for someone in constant relentless pain. Thankyou so much for saying, explaining and telling us your experience with Fibro.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. What you’ve said resonates so deeply, and I completely understand why you feel the need to avoid explaining fibromyalgia and lean on something like arthritis instead. It’s exhausting, mentally and emotionally, to constantly feel like you have to justify what you’re going through, especially when you look “fine” on the outside. People don’t realize how heavy that burden of explanation can be, and it’s not just exhausting—it’s draining to the point where you end up isolating yourself just to avoid the conversations altogether.
I can absolutely relate to what you said about losing your sense of self. It’s like this illness slowly steals pieces of you, and you’re left feeling like a shadow of the person you used to be. The guilt, the self-doubt, the loneliness—it all compounds, and I think a lot of us with fibromyalgia go through that. But like you said, there’s some comfort in knowing you’re not alone, even though it’s a reality we wouldn’t wish on anyone else.
I admire your strength for being so open about how tough it really is. That feeling of standing behind someone else while they take over your life—wow, that hits home. It’s like you’re watching yourself from a distance, and it’s hard to even recognize who you are anymore. But don’t lose hope. You are still here, even if it feels like the “real you” is buried right now. The fact that you’re fighting this battle, even quietly, speaks to your resilience.
Thank you for being so honest and sharing your story. It reminds all of us that we’re not going mad or making things up—this struggle is real, and we’re in it together. Sending you so much strength and understanding.
Thank you for this -- perfectly timed. My mental health has been on a downward spiral over the last few months, and it's a really tough fight not to give up. But of course being a fibro warrior, this hasn't been my first rodeo.
Just knowing someone out there "gets it" is comforting. 💜
I’m so sorry to hear that you’ve been struggling lately, but I’m really glad the post came at a time when you needed it. It’s such a difficult journey, and I completely understand how exhausting it can feel, especially when it seems like your mental health is spiraling. The fight not to give up is so real, but you’re absolutely right—being a fibro warrior means you’ve faced this before, and you’ve made it through. That strength is still in you, even on the days when it feels buried under all the pain and frustration.
Just knowing that someone else understands can be such a huge relief, and I want you to remember that you don’t have to face this alone. There’s a whole community of people who “get it,” and we’re all rooting for each other. Sending you lots of strength and support—you’ve come so far, and even though it’s tough, you’re still here fighting. That’s something to be proud of. 💕
Thank you so much. 💜