When you live with a chronic illness such as endometriosis, it is easy to forget about your mental self-care and self-image when you are focused on living through the symptoms each day. You are likely exhausted and just trying to do what you can to make it to the next day, but sometimes it helps to focus on you and how to work on your mental well-being and self-care.
In fact, self-care can play a huge part in your long-term chronic illness care plan. Here are some tips on how you can take care of yourself when you live with a chronic illness.
Relieve some stress and anxiety with CBD supplements.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is derived directly from hemp, which means it does not have the same THC content as marijuana. The oil is used by many chronic illness sufferers, including those with endometriosis, to help with relieving chronic pain, stress, and anxiety. Please note that these uses are not yet approved by the FDA and you should always consult with your doctor before taking CBD. You can take CBD in many forms, such as capsules, gummies, and CBD cigarettes. Plain Jane sells both hemp and CBD products that are of the highest quality and you can also buy your own CBD flower. They also provide pre-rolled joints and CBD cigs that do not come with the bad side effects of nicotine or tobacco cigarettes.
Buy yourself some new, comfortable underwear that also looks fancy.
Endometriosis can cause intense pain around your uterus and ovaries, which may make you want to avoid wearing tight underwear or pants. Soma, a women’s underwear company, offers many different flattering styles and cuts that you can choose from and they are soft and comfortable enough for everyday wear. Choose boy shorts, thongs, panties, and other various styles that will flatter your hips and help give your self-confidence a boost. Consider buying a matching bra or bras as well to add to your wardrobe.
Create a routine that incorporates easy-to-do self-care acts.
If you have a routine that you have mindfully created with your limitations in mind, try to add in some easy-to-do acts of self-care. For example, do some light yoga stretches that may help with relieving pain from your endometriosis, pick a book to read, watch a couple of episodes of your favorite show on Netflix, or take a short walk to the corner store to buy some fruit. If you know that you are taking some time for yourself every day and working on your mental well-being, it may help you feel better in the long run. At night, toss on some comfortable pajamas that will not affect your pain and try to relax. When your routine is set and you have some predictability, that can help with your mental state too.
Set small life goals that you know you can achieve despite the pain.
When you are dealing with pain from endometriosis on a daily basis, it can seem overwhelming to try and achieve lofty goals. If there is a large goal you want to try to achieve, plan it out by setting small life goals along the way. This can make the process much more manageable for you as you battle your illness, but also try to focus on doing something important for yourself. Meeting those small goals can give you a sense of accomplishment in knowing that you are not letting the disease win and you are still working toward living your life as best as you can.