Tags
chronic illness, crossfit, cures, diet, exercise, health, mental health, mental illness, mentally ill, mindfulness, paleo, schizophrenia], wellness, whole30
I don’t know about other cultures, but Americans spend billions every year on the latest trends, fads and health and wellness products. When someone came out with the idea that coloring was good for stress and mindfulness, adult coloring books were everywhere. When someone discovered that weighted blankets could help with anxiety, weighted blankets were everywhere. There are also health and fitness trends that have to do with diet and exercise. Every six months it seems there is a new diet that comes out like Paleo or Whole30, and there is Crossfit, a variety of new types of yoga, and meditation, the list goes on and on.
I benefit from many products that fit into these categories. I have a weighted blanket that I love, and I use happiness journals and will start using a productivity journal later this week, and I used to do yoga (before my back issues), and years ago I tried meditation but couldn’t stop laughing.
I’m not knocking the benefit that many of these things bring to the lives of the people who buy them, practice them, etc. What irritates me about all these diets, trends, fads, programs, etc. is how people act when they are using them or on them. Almost everyone has heard jokes about ex-smokers and how after smoking for twenty years, or so they go to the opposite extreme and start preaching against smoking. The same can be, and often is, said about born-again Christians – once they convert to Christianity, all they can talk about is converting to Christianity.
I see the same behavior with the latest diet, exercise program or things like mindfulness. The people that “discover” them (even though so many of the things are “borrowed” from thousands of years of tradition in other cultures) think that everyone should do them, everyone will find enrichment, everyone will lose weight, everyone will be happier, healthier, etc.
It isn’t that I don’t believe many of these things are great, I do, but I don’t believe that I need to try every new diet, practice every kind of exercise, buy every new coloring book, or Tibetian singing bowl, etc. When do I get to say, “You know what? I’m doing pretty well. I can keep doing what I am doing and get off this treadmill of the greatest latest new thing.”
It is not easy to live with schizophrenia. It is not easy to live with any chronic illness whether it is mental or physical. So much stuff comes along with a chronic illness; one of the big things is side effects from medications. My medications give me high cholesterol, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and a host of other things. Those are just the things I have to deal with because I take medication not the things I have to deal with for why I need medication in the first place.
Can I change my diet? Yes, I have, drastically, and that only helps so much. Can I exercise more? Yes, I can when my back isn’t too painful to do it. Can I meditate, do mindfulness exercises, practice yoga, do Crossfit, eat only protein, and give up sugar? No. The truth is I can’t do all of those things. I am in too much pain to practice yoga, I would never dare risk a back injury by doing Crossfit, but I guess I could give up sugar, but I don’t want to (not yet, anyway, I might have to).
By being a preacher of what has “changed” your life and made you a “believer” you might be forgetting that not everyone has the same challenges you do. Not everyone can change the exercise they do, and maybe they have already been a vegetarian most of their life. It is also possible that people will not see the same results as the next person doing the same thing.
Also, I want to say, “Is it enough already?” Do I have to give my life over to something and become a complete convert who also preaches to say I am happy with my health and wellness? I am never going to be 100%, and I can live with that. I ’m never going to be 100%, and it is not because I’m not trying this thing or that thing. I am never going to be 100% because I have a chronic illness, and no amount of meditating is going to cure me. I know that is hard for many people to believe. I know that many people think they have found the path, the one true source, the answer to whatever it is that ails people, but they haven’t. If I can live with the fact that I have schizophrenia, and that I will most likely always have schizophrenia (there is always hope that science will find a cure) then why can’t everyone else?
Fads and trends come and go, each one claiming to be the next “miracle”. Eating well, walking, exercise, deep breathing/meditation… these simple steps have improved my (and millions of others) lives, and stood the test of time.
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I believe a wide variety of things help people, I just don’t like people telling me I can be better by doing xyz. For instance people telling me to change my diet to deal with high cholesterol, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, etc. I have changed my diet and these things are still an issue because of the medication I take. Not everyone can be “healthy” some of us, have an illness that prevents perfect health. Which is something many people never consider. 🙂
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“I am never going to be 100%, and I can live with that.”
I see many who think they are 100% – but a few weeks later are “back to normal”. The problem with being 100% is the effort, time and energy required to get there and stay there. I think “being 100%” is just another fad! 🙂
Great post and applies to the entire human population! 🙂
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Thank you!
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I guess I am trying to live with the fact that I’ll never be 100%. To me, the me before schizophrenia was what I now view as 100%. But you’re right, being okay with where I am will bring a sense of contentment that no fad can!
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I agree!
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Hey Rebecca,i can live with the fact I will always have schizophrenia.Unless they find a cure.But as far as mindfulness goes,reading the Bible and other books helps me.As does coloring.What helps you each day my friend?
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I find writing in daily happiness journals helps me.
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