Mental Health and Chronic Hives
Have you ever felt that you are really tired? Exhausted? And sometimes don't know how to deal with the feeling? The past few months have been quite intense for me because I couldn't deal with the disappointments regarding my chronic hives. I felt like the hives were calming down a bit last year, but I noticed at one point that they were getting even more aggressive than ever before.
I must admit that I have also had a stressful period. In my personal life, things didn't turn out the way I had hoped, and that caused a lot of stress. And I noticed that during this same period I saw a huge increase in outbursts, fatigue, and a lot of itching. To make it bearable I increased the frequency and dose of my medication.
Triggered by stress?
During this period, I realized that my chronic hives are greatly triggered by stress. In the same period, I also had an appointment with a new allergist, and I canceled that appointment. I had no energy to explain the whole story again and certainly no energy to argue with doctors.
I tried different ways to deal with the stressful period in a positive way, but it didn't always work out. Fatigue and lethargy are common features that recur again and again.
Every time I read about chronic hives, I notice that people do not yet know how to proceed and what to do. What I'm still curious about is the fact that chronic hives are placed in the category of autoimmune diseases. To easily explain the word autoimmune disease, I always tell people that it means: your body attacks the good cells in your own body.
The question is then for me. If my chronic hives are caused by stress, and therefore my good cells are also attacked by my own body due to the stress, does that mean that my body is being destroyed by the stress? So, I can't stress anymore!
Coping with stress!
It's all so blurry and I would prefer to be able to turn off a button so as not to stress. Because what I certainly don't want to do is risk my health due to stress. On the other hand, that is unfortunately not realistic because stress is part of life.
I have tried different ways to deal with stress. Listening to music is a very good therapy for me. When you look online for healthy ways of dealing with stress you will see so many different ways.
You can do this!
As I mentioned, music is a good therapy for me when I feel stressed. And I gave an amazing playlist that I listen to that makes me happy. If you ever feel stressed or “meh” try these songs:
- Ben Fuller - Who I Am
- Rachel Platten - Fight Song
- Katy Perry – Roar
- Ryan Toby "Oh Happy Day" Sister Act 2
I'm sharing my story, because chronic hives is part of my life in combination with all other things. If you are going through a tough time, know that it is ok and that there are ways to take care of yourself and feel better. Music is my way, and I hope you will find yours. You can do this! We can do this!
Does music help you cope with stress? Share some of your favorite songs that help boost your mood in the comments below!
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