| Dear Friend,
Healing is rarely linear. For most people, progress can look like a jagged roller coaster as symptoms wax and wane.
I’ve rarely seen anyone heal from a chronic condition without setbacks. That’s just how it is.
A quick related story to illustrate my point…
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| | In 2022, I became extremely ill due to a brain injury that left me unable to work or function for nearly 1.5 years. I suffered from 20+ horrendous neurological symptoms, slept 1-4 hrs per night for over a year, and had to rebuild my nervous system from the ground up.
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Through faith and persistence, I slowly crawled out of a very dark place, which taught me a lot.
I learned to empathize with several of our patients on this very email list who are going through dire situations, often fighting fatigue, pain, and exhaustion.
If you’ve ever experienced “self-care burnout” like that or find it challenging to keep going, you’re not alone.
National statistics show that 70% of patients quit Physical Therapy before completing their recommended duration of care.
We can usually tell people are struggling with “self-care burnout” when they gradually start reducing the frequency of their PT visits or consistently stop doing their home exercises / healing activities.
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| It may mean you start self-isolating more, spending more time in bed, or withdrawing from other responsibilities and things you love.
So, what can you do when you feel burned out and “fall off the bandwagon”?
I’ve learned a few things in my journey that may help you navigate through periods like this.
First, I learned in my case that it was critical not to internalize any setbacks with feelings of shame or guilt.
Shame or guilt (such as, “Oh if I only hadn’t done that thing” or “if I had done more of this thing, I wouldn’t be all flared up”) will do nothing but further slow your progress. So, do whatever is necessary to process it and let those emotions go.
Trust me, I’ve been there.
After you’ve overcome those emotions, (whether on your own or with the help of a mental health therapist,) remember this one thing: “It’s not all or nothing. It’s all or something.”
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| | What do I mean?
We often see that if people fall off a self-care routine, there is a cycle of guilt → shame → become more inactive → (repeat).
Several patients say they “couldn't restart the whole thing” because they haven’t done their self-care routines in a week.
Often, that is not necessary. You’ve likely built enough endurance to gradually “get back on the horse.”
2-3 exercises or self-care activities (10 minutes of meditation, 7-8 mins of deep breathing) are far better than nothing. Begin to flip the cycle in the other direction with SMALL steps again.
Ask yourself, “What is the ONE THING I can do today to move myself an inch closer to the goals I set for myself”?
You can start rebuilding.
Call your physical therapist, mental health therapist, personal trainer, etc. (members of your healing team) and discus with them about how to get back on track with your goals.
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| | After you’ve picked yourself up and dusted yourself off (no matter how long that takes), pause and reflect on your “why” statement.
Why do you keep going?
What keeps you pressing forward when things get messy?
It has to be deeply meaningful to you, or you won’t stick with it.
It can’t just be, “I want to be out of pain.” Everyone wants that. It’s a given. Pain reduction is often a product of consistent therapy and a well-thought-out treatment plan.
Perhaps you want to travel to Europe or play on the floor with your kids or grandkids. Maybe you want to be mobile enough to walk your child down the wedding aisle.
Whatever it is, it must evoke deep emotion and meaning. If you don’t have a “why” statement, I strongly encourage you to take time out of your busy schedule to reflect on this and write one down.
Our most successful patients have a profoundly personal "why" statement, their guiding compass.
For me, it was surviving and recovering from the brain injury so I could raise our child and see him grow up. I pictured it vividly in my head every day, constantly.
And one last thing: you are far more resilient than you think. Don’t ever doubt that. Anyone can improve no matter how far gone they think they are. Believe it and get back on that horse!
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| Let us know how you’re doing and if there’s anything we can do for you right now.
Much love to you all.
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| | Dr. Chris Sovey, DPT, RN, BSN Phone: 616-803-9829 |
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