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Mental Wellbeing

It is incredibly challenging living with a disabling chronic illness like ME/CFS as it significantly reduces our options and the quality of our life. It is natural that we would grieve the losses and find it difficult to cope with at times, especially if we are very unwell and not receiving much support.

 

​Find and develop strategies that help you cope:

  • Schedule in activities that you enjoy or that help you feel connected to others.

  • Stress will worsen any illness, and ME/CFS is no exception, so look for ways to minimise stressors.

  • Allocate time for friendships with people who understand and care.

  • Explore practices like mindfulness and self-compassion.

  • Talk to your doctor about accessing counselling or other mental health services.

  • Consider coming along to our in-person and online meetings, or joining our Facebook support group, to connect you with people who understand about life with chronic illness. ​​

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We offer some suggestions and further information in this section. 

There are a range of easy access mental health helplines and support services available in New Zealand - give yourself permission to use them if you need to. The Mental Health Foundation provides a list of support here.  Need to talk? Free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor.

Self-Compassion

Self-compassion is a vital practice that can help us to reduce stress and increase our ability to enjoy what we can in difficult circumstances.

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Self-compassion is treating ourselves with the same care, kindness and concern that we would give a friend, when they are in pain or difficulty. It involves exploring soothing touch and soft vocalisation which release oxytocin and endorphins and help to reduce cortisol and relieve pain. Self-compassion also involves setting appropriate boundaries to protect our property, our time, or our emotional, mental and physical well-being. 

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Kate Brandram-Adams, from Mindfulness North Canterbury, has presented a workshop for us on this topic. The recording of this will be available soon. 

 

For more information:

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a practice that can help us to cope with the impacts of living with a chronic illness such as ME/CFS. It may enable us to notice changes to our symptoms sooner and give us an opportunity to bring a more compassionate response, rather than pushing through. It can also be useful for taking our attention away from our symptoms and may help to calm our autonomic nervous system (ANS). 

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Di Robertson, a mindfulness mentor, has previously led a presentation and practice session for us. Watch this on YouTube.

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For more information:

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Finding Resilience

Elizabeth Hamilton, a social worker and counsellor, has talked to us about finding resilience when debilitating illness brings many changes to our lives, along with loss, and grief.

 

Being aware of our circle of control and approaches for living through and with loss and grief can make a difference. We invite you to watch the recording of Elizabeth's session on YouTube.

Te Whare Tapa Whā

Te Whare Tapa Whā is a wellbeing model developed by leading Māori health advocate Sir Mason Durie in 1984. The model describes health and wellbeing as a wharenui/meeting house with four walls.

These walls represent taha wairua/spiritual wellbeing, taha hinengaro/mental and emotional wellbeing, taha tinana/physical wellbeing and taha whānau/family and social wellbeing. Our connection with the whenua/land forms the foundation.

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When all these areas are in balance, we thrive. When one or more of these is out of balance our wellbeing is impacted.

 

Occupational Therapist Sarah Phipps led a presentation and workshop for us and highlighted some specific strategies for people with ME/CFS, including finding ways to live with loss. You can watch the presentation on our YouTube channel. 

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