Saturday, June 1, 2013

Sources for various topics

Sources


Sources - Anger


Anger Management - Stress Management Training from MindTools.com
Anger Management Techniques
Anger Management Techniques — Learn How to Control Yourself!
Anger Management Worksheets Archives - Steps for Change
Anger Management Worksheets for Adults: Intensity of Emotion
Anger Management Worksheets To Get You There Faster
Anger Management: Tips and Techniques for Getting Anger Under Control
Anger Worksheets for adolescents | Therapist Aid
Anger Worksheets, Handouts, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Resources | Psychology Tools
Communication in relationships
Controlling Anger -- Before It Controls You
Free anger management worksheets
Free Anger Management Worksheets - Letting Go of Anger
Free Anger Worksheets
Links
media.routledgeweb.com/files/education/download/anger.pdf
MensLine Australia: Supporting men and their families
Therapy Worksheets

Sources - Anxiety


Arch Gen Psychiatry -- Abstract Orbital Frontal and Amygdala Volume Reductions in Obsessive-compulsive Disorder, October 1999, Szeszko et al. 56 (10) 913
News and Research Anxiety Disorders Association of America, ADAA
NPR.org » How An Unlikely Drug Helps Some Children Consumed By Fear
UOCD Full Listing of OCD Personal Stories

Sources - Bipolar


About Bipolar Disorder - Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
International Bipolar Foundation | Educational Brochures
International Bipolar Foundation | Resources and Links
NIMH · Bipolar Disorder
www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/docs/Info-Medications for bipolar disorder.pdf

Sources - Brochures


ACA Publications - Catalog 2012
NIAAA Publications
NIDDK Clearinghouses Publications Catalog: Publication Listings
Publications - WIN
WIN - Resources

Sources - Communication


Gender Phycology The Role of a Man and Woman Dating and Relationship Advice Blog Veronikalove.com
Interpersonal Communication Skills
Relationship Institute - Couples Therapy, Workshops, and Training

Sources - Coping with CCI


WebPath The Internet Pathology Laboratory
www.census.gov prod 2011pubs 12statab health.pdf

Assistive Resources


Discount Arthritis Aids, Elderly Living Products and Disability Aids
Discount Arthritis Aids, Elderly Living Products and Disability Aids
Gold Violin Lifestyle Products & Disability Aids | Independent Living Aids | Gift Ideas Seniors
Health Care Products and Adaptive Equipment Catalog | The Wright Stuff
Assistive Devices for Independent Living for Seniors, the Handicapped or Disabled

Types of Diseases


asthma


AAAAI - American Academy of Allergy Asthma and
Asthma - DASH HealthyYouth
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America - Info

Rare Diseases


National PKU News About PKU
National Dissemination Center for Children with
Mead Johnson Nutrition Recognizing Rare Diseases
Rare Disease Day ® 2012

Hep C


American Liver Foundation
CDC DVH - Division of Viral Hepatitis Home Page
Hepatitis C :: The Facts : Hepatitis C
What I need to know about Hepatitis C - National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse
www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/Resources/Professionals/PDFs/ABCTable_BW.pdf
www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/resources/professionals/pdfs/abctable.pdf

Assorted


CDC - Cerebral Palsy, Facts - NCBDDD
CDC - Spina Bifida, Facts - NCBDDD
CDC | TB | Basic TB Facts

Fibro & Such


Coping Strategies | CFIDS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help
CND: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Fibromyalgia Symptom Checklist

Migraine


Introduction to Migraine
SpringerLink - The Journal of Headache and Pain

For Kids


Chronic kids Awareness of Childhood Health Iss
Coordinated School Health Program (CSHP)- DASH
Coping With Chronic Illness Tips From Parents,
HealthyChildren.org - Chronic Conditions and Sc
Educate Children (3 to 22)
Siblings of Children With a Chronic Illness: A Meta-Analysis
Starlight Children's Foundation - Our Programs
Why is the Physical Environment of a School So
Oh Brother… Interventions For Siblings of Chronically Ill Children | estherroseburt

Tips


The Spoon Theory written by Christine Miserandino | But You Dont Look Sick? support for those with invisible illness or chronic illness
Living With Illness Tip Sheet - Living With Chronic Illness « Helpstartshere.org Helpstartshere.org

Support


Chronic Illness Community, Support, and Resources - HealingWell.com
About the ChangingMinds.org site
You're Not Alone
Symptom Chart :: MpoweredParent.com

Sources - Depression


Depression
Major Depression and other Unipolar Depressions - Depression: Major Depression & Unipolar Varieties

sources - diversity


BalancedPolitics.org - Free Balanced, Non-Parti
Ethical Standards for Human Service Professionals
Feminism and Women's Studies Gender Difference
Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists
Kwintessential Site Map - multi cultures
NASP CQ 35-2 - Native American Culture
Native American Center for Excellence
OEC - Subtle Discrimination in the Workplace
Pew Research Center
Publications & Guides
www.theiacp.org - better police response to peo

Sources - Drugs-Alcohol


AbovetheInfluence.com
Alcohol Abuse and Dependence - Diagnostic Criteria for Alcohol Abuse and Dependence
Alcohol Screening Tests - Short Alcohol Tests Ideal for Health-care Screening
Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Dependency CEUS - Chapter 2 - Drugs That Get Abuse
Family History of Alcoholism // OADE // University of Notre Dame
Greenville Family Partnership - Youth Inhalant Use | Drug and Substance Abuse Prevention Greenville SC
Hallucinogen Addiction Treatment Center Morningside Recovery
Hallucinogen Addiction Treatment Get Help with Recovery CRC Health Group
Hallucinogen Addiction, Treatment and Withdrawal Recovery Connection
Hallucinogens
Hallucinogens - LSD, Peyote, Psilocybin, and PCP DrugFacts National Institute on Drug Abuse
Hallucinogens Transitions Alcohol & Drug Rehab Center
Home National Institute on Drug Abuse
Integrated Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) KIT SAMHSA
lib.adai.washington.edu clearinghouse downloads TIP-19-Detoxification-from-Alcohol-and-Other-Drugs-88.pdf
Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST), Revised
NIDA SAMHSA Blending Initiative National Institute on Drug Abuse
NSDUH—Home
oas.samhsa.gov 2k7 inhalants inhalants.pdf
primarycareforall.org wp-content uploads 2011 08 Michigan-Alcohol-Screening1.pdf
Product - Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory - Third Edition (SASSI-3)
pubs.niaaa.nih.gov publications Assesing Alcohol InstrumentPDFs 42_MAST.pdf
pubs.niaaa.nih.gov publications Assesing Alcohol InstrumentPDFs 66_SASSI.pdf
Recovery Month 2012 - At the Crossroads Examining the Intersection of Care for Persons With Mental and Substance-Use Conditions
Recovery Month 2012 - Prevention and Early Intervention for Substance Use and Mental Disorders What's Working, What's Needed
Recovery Month 2012 - Road to Recovery Television Series
Recovery Month 2013 - Maintaining Resiliency and Sustaining Recovery: Ensuring That Recovery Lasts a Lifetime
Scholastic NIDA Drug Pubs
Serious Mental Illness and Its Co-Occurrence with Substance Use Disorders, 2002; SAMHSA Office of Applied Studies
Substance Abuse - NATIONAL CENTER for PTSD
Substances Alcohol SAMHSA
The Roles in Dysfunctional Families
The SASSI Institute
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - Homepage
Treatment Planning MATRS - NIDA SAMHSA Blending Initiative - ATTC Network
Virginia AA - Area 71 of Alcoholics Anonymous - Meeting Search
Virginia Health Care Foundation | Smoking Cessation

Sources - DSM-5


DSM-5 Video Series: Why Disorders are Included in Section III | psychiatry.org

sources - education and parenting and learning styles


sources - adolescence


The Teen Brain Is A Work In Progress Inside The Teenage Brain FRONTLINE PBS
Transcript Inside The Teenage Brain FRONTLINE PBS
Watch The Full Program Inside The Teenage Brain FRONTLINE PBS
Welcome to the homepage for Jeffrey Jensen Arne
Work In Progress - Adolescent Brains Are A Work In Progress Inside The Teenage Brain FRONTLINE PBS

Sources - Learning Disabilities


ADHD


ADHD Evaluation / Assessment Tools
auth.brainfacts.sfn.org/sitecore/shell/Controls/Rich Text Editor/~/media/A5FADFCBF4F449A98EA42A706059BA36.ashx
Brain Facts book - BrainFacts.org
CDC - ADHD, Data and Statistics - NCBDDD
NIMH » Science News about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
The Science of ADHD
What We Know - Info Sheets on ADHD
www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/adhd_booklet.pdf

Sources - 504 and IEP


IEP 504
IEP VS 504
www.apfed.org
Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia.org ~ Math Learning Disability Reso
LD OnLine Understanding the Differences Betw
Learning Disorders MedlinePlus
The International Dyslexia Association Promotin
A Dyadic Play Therapy for Children
Accelerated Learning & Memory Improvement at Me
AED Projects Raising and Educating Healthy
Child Obesity International Encyclopedia of Rehabilitation
Council for exceptional children Home
Featured Articles
Felder & Soloman Learning Styles and Strategies
LDRC Course Server Home
Learning Styles - Learning Effectively by Under
Montgomery County QuickFacts from the US Census
Montgomery County, VA - Demographics
Our School Doesn't Offer Inclusion
Overview of learning styles
Parenting.com - The home of Parenting and Babytalk
Safe Schools Healthy Students initiatives
Special Education Inclusion Special Education
Study Guides and Strategies
The Student Development Centre at Western
VDOE Science Standards of Learning Resources
VDOE Virginia Department of Education Home
VDOE Virginia Department of Education Home (Imported)
Welcome Parenting.org
www.maineautismconference.org/documents/PositiveReinforcementNegativeReinforcementandDiscipline.pdf
Your Preferred Learning Style - Study Skills

Sources - Ethics


American Association for Marriage and Family Th
Approach to assessing adolescents on serious or
CITI Main Menu
Code of Ethics (English and Spanish)
Code of Ethics (English and Spanish)
Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Rel
Ethical Standards for Human Service Professionals
Ethics
Ethics
Informed Consent in Therapy & Counseling Stand

Sources - Family


Family Communication Genograms Create Your Own Genogram
Free Genogram, Pedigree Chart Online - Progeny
Genealogy Software - GenoPro
The Brief Strategic Family Therapy® (BSFT™) Program

Sources - Grief


Department of Health and Ageing - Chapter 3 Measures in Complicated Grief
Grief & Loss Help Guide - Helpguide.org
Social Work Tech » The Seven Stages of Grief

Sources - License


Centers of Career Development Excellence
Cost of Living 4th Quarter 2012
Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Rel
Counseling Licensure Requirements by State
DBHDS homepage
Department of Health Professions - Laws and Reg
Facts About Clinical Mental Health Counselors
Full-Time Program - NHSC
Licensed Professional Counselor Salary - Salary.com
LIS Code of Virginia 54.1-2969
Mental Health Counselors
NHSC Loan Repayment Application Cycle Now Closed - NHSC
nhsc.hrsa.gov/downloads/lrpapplicationguidance.pdf
Virginia Board of Counseling
Virginia Board of Counseling
Virginia Legal Ages Laws - VA Legal Ages Laws -
Virginia Loan Repayment Programs
Capella University - Counselor Fieldwork Resources

Sources - Mental Health


A Multidisciplinary Approach to Conversion Disorder with Nonepileptic Seizures: A Case Study - ISPUB
Conversion disorder - children, causes, DSM, functioning, therapy, adults, person, people
Counseling Today » A Publication of the American Counseling Association
Disorders Index National Institute of Neurolog
Faces
get info: Mental Health America
Healthy People 2020 - Improving the Health of Americans
National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives - Home
Network Analysis - Association for Psychological Science
NIH VideoCasting and Podcasting
NIMH · Home
NIMH · NIMH Statistics
OJPsych_Biomedical & Life Sciences_Journals_SCIRP
Over 280 Pages of Psychiatric Information
PLOS ONE: The Small World of Psychopathology
Project CORK Clinical Tools
Project Cork Powerpoint Presentations
Psych Central - Resource Directory
PsychiatryOnline Search Results
Welcome to the American Counseling Association

Sources - Personality Disorders


Personality Disorders
Personality Disorders: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, Support - HealthyPlace
Narcissistic personality disorder - children, d

Sources - PTSD and Trauma


About The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation
dartcenter.org files en_tnj_0.pdf
DBHDS - Coping with Disaster - Helping to Heal
Homelessness Resource Center - Resource PTSD Fact Sheet: Frequently Asked Questions
How the Media Mystify Tragedy Center for Inquiry
John Briere Ph.D. - Trauma Links
LankaWeb – The History of PTSD
List of United States disasters by death toll - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Memorial Mania Fear, Anxiety and Public Culture
NATIONAL CENTER for PTSD Home
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Causes, Sy
PTSD 101 Courses: Continuing Education Credit - NATIONAL CENTER for PTSD
PTSD Network - History of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Reactions from officials, others on tragic shootings in Aurora - The Denver Post
Silha Forum Examines Media Coverage of Tragedies Silha Center University of Minnesota
Terrorism on Sept. 11, 2001
The Relationship Between PTSD and Suicide - NATIONAL CENTER for PTSD
Treatment of the Returning Iraq War Veteran - NATIONAL CENTER for PTSD
Types of Products, Courses, and Materials - National Center for PTSD
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Sources - Resources


Brock Hughes Free Clinic
Free Clinic
Human Resources | New River Community College | Dublin, Virginia
Online Support Groups
Pet Assistance Network: Virginia Food Assistance Programs
RVSPCA in the Community | Roanoke Valley SPCA
United Way NRV - Our Agencies
VINELink ver. 2.0
Virginia Counselors Association
Teepee Boots-Creme
Lady's Softsole Moccasins From Tribal Impressions
NoExcusesWorkouts - YouTube

Sources - Sexual Assault


D2L
Download or Order Materials : Texas Association Against Sexual Assault
Healing your Inner Child after Sexual Abuse | Pandora's Project
RAINN | Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network | RAINN: The nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization.One of “America’s 100 Best Charities" —Worth magazine
Rhiannon3.net -The Cop and The Survivor, domestic violence support
Texas Association Against Sexual Assault

sources - spirituality


Kamat's Potpourri Assorted Quotes of Mahatma
Seven Deadly Social Sins
WELCOME TO MAHATMA GANDHI ONE SPOT COMPLETE INF
Religious Creation Stories
Science and Spirituality - Human Bioelectricity -1 - (Akhandjyoti)
Mythos Monday Creation Stories Shéa MacLeod, Author – Everything's Better With Dragons

Sources - Types of Therapy


Abraham Maslow eBooks, Video, Audio, Podcasts
Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and diagram
ACT | Association for Contextual Behavioral Science
An Overview of Moral Development and Moral Educ
Another Similarity Between Gestalt, Existential and Client Centered Therapy and Coaching
Centre for Clinical Interventions (CCI) - Psychotherapy, Research, Training
Common Misperceptions of Existential Therapy
Coun604 Ch 10 Gestalt Therapy Ppt For Students
Erik Erikson's Psychosocial Theory of Human Dev
Feedback Informed Treatment - Effective Therapist Blog
Feedback-Informed Treatment
Feedback-Informed Treatment: Empowering Clients to Use Their Voices | Psych Central
Gestalt Therapy An Introduction
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) Video Course | Psychology Tools
Moral Development
Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria - Cognitive therapy foundations, conceptual models, applications and research
Strategic Family Therapy
Tapping.com - Free EFT Videos - Emotional Freedom Technique

Sources - Wellness


Sources - Mindfulness


How to Meditate Lying Down - Clever Tips for More Effective Meditation
How to Position Your Body for Meditation | Gaiam Life

Sources - Stress


Emotional Competency - Explore the Logic of Pas
Free Stress Management Presentation - Free Stress Management PPT Presentations
Free Stress Management Worksite Wellness Program Resource Kit
Gentle Stress Relief Tips for Peace Health & Happiness
Stress management - MayoClinic.com
Stress Management Handouts - Stress Management Handout
Stress Management Handouts Vol. 2 - Stress Management Handout Vol. 2
Stress Management Relaxation Exercises - Managing Stress Relaxation Exercises
Stress Self-Assessment
Coach Tools - Worksheets, Exercises, Skills, Resources- Circle of Life®
Definition of Wellness Tools and Resources
Free Wellness Library - Free Health Library
Free Wellness Library - Free Health Library
Free Wellness Library - Free Health Library
Psychotherapy Self-Help Worksheets for Wellness, Anxiety and Panic Reduction, Stress Management, Depression Treatment | San Diego Psychologist Natalie Masson, Ph.D.
Self-Help Resources | Here to Help
Wellness Information // Wellness ND // University of Notre Dame
Wellness Inventory - HealthWorld Online
Wellness Modules | Here to Help
Wellness Recovery Action Plan - Mary Ellen Copeland
Wellness Worksheets
Worksheet 6

Sources - Physical Health


High blood pressure
CDC - Healthy Living

Sources - Exercise


WebMD Fit-O-Meter Calories Burned Calculator f
Cals Burned
1 BEST Calorie Counter - Calories Burned By Exercise
1 BEST Multiple Exercises Activity Calories Bur
Burn Carbs Doing Housework and Chores
Calculate Daily Calories Burned
Calories Burned Calculator, Very Accurate, Quic
Calories Burned Cooking or Food Preparation - S
Calories Burned, BMI, BMR & RMR Calculator Ca
Exercise Calorie Calculator
Lighten Up and Get Moving! The Calorie Contro
Physical Activity Guidelines

Sources - Nutrition


Dietary Guidelines for Americans Health.gov (ODPHP)

Weight Loss and Diet


BMI - Standard BMI Calculator
Body Fat Calculator
Carb, Protein, Fat Calorie Calculator
Home Body Fat Test
Waist to Hip Ratio Calculator
Nutrition Facts and Analysis for Potato, flesh
Mineral Chart Nutrient chart Minerals in fr
Massive Health - Carbs Are Killing You [infographic]
Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet Calcium
Why Cholesterol Is Good For You

Sources - Sleep


American Sleep Apnea Association | Other Sleep Disorders
How Much Sleep Do You Need? Sleep Cycles & Stages, Lack of Sleep, and How to Get the Hours You Need

Sources - Sexuality


Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality
Loving More Your #1 Resource for Polyamory
The Klein Sexual Orientation Grid
freedom Man And Women Do Really Think Differently
RealAge Test
Health.gov Your Portal to Health Information from the U.S. Government
2020 Topics and Objectives
10 Things You Should Know About Blood Pressure Readings

Sources - Worksheets


Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Worksheets Free Download | Psychology Tools
Letting Go
Mind Mapping Templates - My Mind Map
Therapy Worksheets
Therapy Worksheets | Therapist Aid
www.idhd.org/SDC_Resources.html

Sources - Abuse


Abuse - The Complete Guide to Escaping Abuse for Good
Abuse Victim Characteristics
Safety Planning « National Domestic Violence Hotline

sources - mandated reporting


LIS Search Code of Virginia
Mandatory Reporting by State
Statutory Rape A Guide to State Laws and Repor
Statutory Rape A Guide to State Laws and Repor
Statutory Rape A Guide to State Laws and Repor (Imported)

Sources - Suicide


Addressing Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Substance Abuse Treatment - YouTube
Coping with Suicidal Thoughts
GET.gg Free Downloads - CBT Self Help Leaflets & Booklets
GET.gg Free Downloads - Therapy Worksheets
Journalism Ethics Feature Articles Covering suicide do journalists exploit tragedy

Ramblings of the Blissfully Blonde: So, I Ate Chocolate.

Ramblings of the Blissfully Blonde: So, I Ate Chocolate.:     I had a very awful experience yesterday, and I am still upset. I am feeling very hurt. Honestly, I feel a need to suddenly try and chan...

Thought I would share this.  Because, to make the world a more beautiful place, we must give compliments and notice joy, goodness, and beauty...

Keep on noticing the good Brittany.  :)

Laura

TRIAL recipe: Maybe a birthday cake.

USE SAFE FOR YOU INGREDIENTS

(Also, for the dairy, I suspect coconut milk and coconut thick stuff (like butter thick) would work.  For the eggs, I would be willing to try chia seeds or flax seeds soaked in water to make a binder-solution.  Flour to starch ratio is 4:3.  Bet any flour/starch would work, although might have to adjust the liquid levels.  And, for the Lyles, I bet dates, cherries, or other fruit blended into the liquid might work as sweetener.  So would honey.)

TRIAL recipe:  Maybe a birthday cake.

Dry Ingredients:
4 cups Urad Flour
1 cup potato starch
1 cup tapioca starch
1 cup water chestnut starch
1 cup cacao powder (raw chocolate powder)
3 Tablespoons baking powder

Wet Ingredients
1 vanilla bean
1 cup of brewed coffee
2 jumbo eggs
2 cups water
8 ounces creme Fraiche (Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery)
11 ounces (1 jar) Lyle's Golden syrup
1 cup Homestead Creamery 1/2 and 1/2

Directions:
Whisk the dry ingredients together until mixed completely.

BLEND on HIGH the wet ingredients until completely smooth and mixed (NO BEAN CHUNKS).

Make a "well" in the dry ingredients.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and GENTLY fold in until a lumpy batter is formed.

Pour into a WELL GREASED cake pan.

Bake at 350 until completely done in the center. Probably about 45 min to 1 hour.

Baking right now.  Will let you all know how it turns out.

Laura















The Cake TURNED OUT.  YAY!  Not very sweet at all.  But, seeing as it is the first cake I have had in over 18 months, totally Delicious. The piece is split in 1/2 and a bit of butter mixed with honey is on the top.


A letter by Jenna Alexander - Regarding Fibromyalgia, but could apply to ANY CHRONIC ILLNESS!

Hi All, this is a letter by Jenna Alexander, who is a member of one of the support groups to which I belong.  She wrote it about her experiences with Fibromyalgia - one of the invisible chronic illnesses which can change the course of a person's life.  I asked her if I might share this, as it is both eloquent and accessible.  She kindly granted permission.  I hope if you see yourself in this letter, you feel not quite alone and I hope if you see loved ones and friends in this letter, you give yourself permission to be ok with NOT understanding even while you accept that your loved ones and friends have limits that are moving targets from day to day.  It is ok to not know the answers and changes of the illness, but to love and to accept the PERSON for WHO HE OR SHE IS!

Laura

Jenna Alexander's Letter
I just wanted to share this with all of you, my fellow fibro warriors. I have finally started to feel better after the long months of constant flaring this year and I have decided I am not letting go of that positive attitude. This is a letter I wrote to my family and friends on FB since my writer's mind is FINALLY clear enough to actually write something I think makes sense (lol!) and is possibly maybe somewhat profound? I don't know. Tell me what you all think if you can please ^_^

Love you all, Gentle hugs! Hope everyone is enjoying good weather and a pain free day!

Jenna

A Letter to My Friends and Family: My New Positive Outlook as a Fibro Warrior

Dear friends and family: I would love it if you could all read this and tell me your thoughts ^_^ (I know it's long, but I am at a turning point and had alot to say)

This week, I have been working very hard to change my attitude about the life I have been granted.

With all of the health issues, new diet restrictions, new doctors, new meds, new living situations, new money issues, the previous 2 TOUGH semesters and the upcoming new experience of student teaching, I have lost sight of a positive outlook. I have been dwelling in the negative, wondering "Why Me?!?!", raging against the things I can't control, and allowing myself to give up simply because anyone else in this amount of pain and mental fog would socially be allowed that option.

But I know I can't keep doing this. I have pushed so many people away in my life because their needs that I can't fulfill make me feel worthless or their constant positivity and comments about how "everyone feels that way sometimes" make me feel belittled and crazy. Constantly feeling like no one understands the pain I am in or the horrendous struggles I have gone through to fix it has made me angry with people I love. I have also sabotaged my own health at times by trying SO hard to be the fun person everyone wants me to be that I make myself sicker, and then I am even angrier with those people who I feel just can't accept my limitations and still want to be around me.

So today I am making myself a promise. I am not going to push people away anymore and I am not going to look at this life as a punishment, asking God everyday what I did to deserve this. I didn't do anything wrong and this struggle God has put in my path is meant to make me stronger not hateful. I am finally starting to feel better after months of wanting to cry and scream everyday and I am not going to let that good feeling go.

I am promising myself today that I will love and show patience to even those who don't understand instead of envying them and being angry with them. However, I also promise myself that I will no longer feel bad about my limitations. I won't make myself sick for someone who only wants to spend time with me when I am in a FANTASTIC mood. It's just not realistic. A TRUE friend will want to be there for you through all the good AND all the bad. I will work as hard as I can to overcome all my limitations in a HEALTHY way and to stay positive about it so I don't bring anyone else down, but until I can overcome my limitations, I can't keep fighting against them- especially not for people who don't truly care about me as a friend.

So, to all my friends and family I want to tell you this- If you can't love me and want to spend time with me in both my best AND my worst times, than I can't have you in my life. Your complete refusal to understand is your choice and shows me that you are not worth my time and I am not worth yours. I understand that for some people, having a friend with a chronic illness is just more than they can handle. That their own lives are to full of struggles for them to help me take on mine. It is ok, I get it, but please don't pretend to be my friend if you are one of these people. It just hurts both of us in the end.

HOWEVER, for those that love me and want to understand, but just haven't been able to yet, I want to apologize for being angry with you. There are many times when I don't understand my own disease, so it is unfair to expect you to just figure it out right away.

So, what I ask of you now is that if you truly want to be my friend, that you simply accept the fact that I know my body, I know my limitations, and just because I am not up for something doesn't mean I don't love you or want to spend time with you. If you can accept that and you can accept that my illness means the way I feel physically and mentally constantly changes (IE. 1 day or 1 hour I am cleaning like a madwoman full of energy, joy and completely clear headed and the next I am crying on the couch, sounding crazy, getting overwhelmed or falling asleep in my chair and forgetting what I said or did five seconds ago), then our friendship will make it.

Also, please don't be offended by my posts about Fibromyalgia. When I post articles, it isn't to make you feel like I am angry with you for not getting it. I am posting the articles 1. For myself so I don't lose them (lol) and 2. For you IF you want to get to know more. I want so desperately for all of you to understand and these articles help me share with you when I just don't have the words to explain (which happens more often than I imagined possible ;) ), I don't want you read these so you can pity me or baby me, but so you can truly see who I am right now and decide whether or not you can accept me for it, accept me for the fact that I sometimes can't function and I sometimes need help even though other times I act like superwoman.

So, I love you all and I hope our friendships will weather this crazy storm.

Sincerely,

Jenna Kaye Alexander
Fibro Warrior

Patrick Stewarts comments on abuse. So very important to read!!

Please listen to this.  His comments on abuse are so very important for all to hear and for all to internalize and take to heart!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/30/patrick-stewart-heather-skye_n_3362239.html

Laura