Under Attack: Navigating the Anxiety of Living with Migraine
Isn't it interesting how migraine flare-ups are referred to as "attacks"?
This word, which is associated with war, brutality, and aggression, is an apt term for the way migraine causes widespread destruction through unexpected, unrelenting, severe pain. After being on the receiving end of these attacks repeatedly, the corresponding result is not dissimilar to post-traumatic stress that can occur for those who've lived through a violent attack or any terrifying situation.
How fear of an impending attack rules our lives
Living in fear becomes a habit and a means of self-protection. For many of us, anticipatory anxiety can begin to rule our behavior even more than the attacks themselves. We find ourselves bracing for the next migraine episode, terrified of when it will hit and how bad it will be. We may limit our daily plans and activities in the desperate hope of avoiding an attack or to avoid letting others down when we inevitably cancel plans.
We navigate a world that is alive with triggers (some avoidable, some not). And in so doing, we often find ourselves leading an isolated existence that risks losing a healthy level of social interaction. Additionally, our migraine specialists train us to proactively respond with treatment at the first sign of a prodrome. While this is a safe, conservative protocol, but it also leaves us anxiously questioning every little sensation, fearing it is the signal of an impending migraine attack.
The psychological toll of constant self-monitoring
It is fully reasonable to want to try to do everything we can to protect ourselves from repeatedly experiencing an attack. However, when you are living with migraine, constant self-monitoring can create a difficult, "navel-gazing" existence (picture: a self-protective fetal position).
Recognizing the disastrous impact on quality of life
Like ingredients in a recipe, the dynamics of living in fear and isolation, doing our best to avoid triggers, and constantly scanning the horizon for the first signs of a flare-up can create a disastrous recipe for quality of life. The anxiety of waiting for the other shoe to drop can be just as draining as the episode itself.
Ways to manage the mental load of migraine
Ultimately, it is untenable to live under the constant threat of attack or to spend your life playing defense against migraine. We each must find a way to make peace with the comprehensive challenge that is living with migraine. Each day, it can be helpful to consciously choose to try to resist the urge to fold inward. We must instead unfurl both emotionally and physically. Even by simply picturing ourselves releasing the tension we carry, we are taking a small step toward finding a healthier balance between managing symptoms and living our lives.
Small steps to find a healthier balance
Here are some other steps to try to reclaim your peace:
- Take stock of how we are in the moment, and make note of the "well" moments.
- Set attainable goals, so we don't feel the day was wasted.
- Reach out to a loved one or friend in some small way to break the isolation.
- Try to remember and nourish the things that bring us joy.
What are some strategies that you have found effective to find a better balance so that living with migraine isn't all-consuming?
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