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Meditation & Mindfulness

Living with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) can be challenging, but mindfulness and meditation practices can provide valuable tools for coping with symptoms and improving overall well-being.

 

Here's some ways that mindfulness and meditation can help:

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  • Reduce stress and anxiety: FND often co-occurs with anxiety and stress. Mindfulness techniques can help calm the nervous system and promote relaxation.

  • Improve body awareness: By tuning into physical sensations, you can develop a greater understanding of your body and its signals.

  • Manage chronic pain: Mindfulness can help shift your focus away from pain and reduce its intensity.

  • Cope with emotional challenges: Meditation can help you develop emotional resilience and navigate difficult feelings with greater ease.

  • Improve sleep quality: Relaxation techniques can promote better sleep, which is essential for managing FND symptoms.

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Meditation

What comes to mind when you hear the word 'meditation'? Although it has been presented in movies and TV in a certain light, the truth is, you don't have to sit a certain way, or put your hands a specific way or chant "ooommmm"... unless you want to do those things. We think this quote sums it up nicely:  

Think about the practice of meditation as zoning in, as opposed to spacing out. — Susie Levan

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Would you be surprised to learn that there are different types of meditation? There are actually lots! We suggest trying several until you find the ones that work best for you. Also, we suggest trying the different types more than once, in different settings and in different moods to gauge the difference of effect. Here is a brief description of some common types of meditation: 

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  • loving-kindness meditation (MaitrÄ«): this type of meditation is all about spreading love, positivity, and kindness first to yourself, then to others. While it sounds easy enough, many people, particularly those with FND, are pretty resistant to self-love and self-compassion in particular

  • visualization meditation: in this type of meditation, you concentrate on something specific to center your body and mind. The goal is to bring this thing (whatever that is to you) into focus in enough clarity that you can feel it, taste it, smell it. Perhaps most importantly for us FND warriors is visualizing whatever/wherever this thing/place is with us in the spotlight, center stage, WITH NO FND SYMPTOMS - picturing ourselves completely whole and healthy. 

  • body scan meditation (aka progressive relaxation): this type of meditation is geared towards promoting relaxation and reducing tension in the body. People who live with FND often have a decreased sense of self-awareness, and this meditation can help us tune into our bodies and be more aware of any sensations. Basically, you start either at the head or the feet and go slowly from section to section of your body and simply notice any sensations in that area without judgment.  

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Mindfulness

Mindfulness is technically a type of meditation. However, we separated it because, in our opinion, it is a way of life, especially necessary for FND warriors! We love this description of it:

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Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different; enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes (which it will); being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way (which it won’t).” – James Baraz

The great thing about mindfulness is that you can adapt it to literally anything, including things you do daily already. The goal is to notice specifics about whatever activity you're doing and notice any reactions you have to these perceptions. Here are some examples:

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  • mindful while moving:

    • yoga and tai chi are great ways to exercise both your mindfulness practices as well as exercise your body

    • walking - take a walk and pay particular attention to the colors you see, the smells you smell, the breeze you feel, etc.

    • brushing your teeth - notice the smell and taste of the toothpaste, the feel of the toothbrush against your gums and teeth, etc.

  • mindful while sitting:

    • eating/drinking - savor the various tastes, sensations, flavors that you experience, how the fork/cup feels in your hand, etc. 

    • just sitting - notice what you can see around you, if there are any smells, how your clothing feels against your skin, how your breathing feels, notice any thoughts (without judgment), etc.

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