With Cushing’s, You’re Your Own Hero

Hey, everyone!

Another week has come and gone and it’s either been a good week, a bad week, or a subpar week in which things went decently or they didn’t. Hopefully, your week went well for the most part.

As someone who has gone through Cushing’s, needed support, and now gives support to hundreds of individuals, you could probably say I’ve learned a thing or two about taking care of myself and asking for support on days when it’s too hard to go through alone.

Asking for support is never a bad thing. Ever. We’re only human, and it’s only human nature to need nurturing from other human beings. What I will discuss today isn’t supposed to take away from what I just mentioned. It may seem a bit contradictory, but life is a bit complicated, and this just seems to be one of those weird situations.

Although it’s necessary to lean against others in time of need, it’s also important to remember that we can’t always expect others to be there for us. Even if we have a heart and would be there for someone else in need no matter what is going on in our lives, it doesn’t mean that others are always willing to do the same thing.

It’s important to remember that even if someone else is willing to do that and be there for you with whatever is going on in their lives, they, too, need support and can’t always be there for people. It’s a complicated situation, but it’s one we all need to learn to understand at times.

I learned this at a young age, and I always tend to ask people to please let me know if asking for help ever becomes overwhelming for them. We’re all fighting our own battles, and sometimes it just becomes too much to help someone else carry theirs. I know that to some of you, this may sound harsh, but it’s the truth. People can only handle so much at a certain point in time.

Lately, I’ve been on that end. Overwhelmed by my own health and recovery and having a lot of people hounding me online. Don’t get me wrong — I really do enjoy helping other people. I do. But sometimes, it gets so incredibly intense and people start to expect too much.

Many people ask those of us who help in the Cushing’s community with inspiration, for a diagnosis, for the meaning behind their lab result readings, for doctor recommendations, and more. Sometimes those questions are OK, depending on the context, but often it’s not what we are here for. We’re here for inspiration, a bit of guidance, and an online shoulder to discuss feelings we all have when we deal with Cushing’s.

Those of us with platforms are so honored that so many people look up to us, feel inspired by us, and want to share their stories with us. We do not take that for granted. But there are also many times when people expect us to diagnose them or fight their battles for them (this sounds a lot weirder without full context, so bear with me), when in reality, these are things we need to do ourselves.

At the end of the day, we only have ourselves and we have to be our own heroes. We have to find our strengths, our happy place, and our voice to fight for ourselves, whether it be at home, at work, or at a doctor’s office. No one else can do that for us. Venting, crying, and asking for someone to listen to your worries is always fine, but to an extent — we can’t overwhelm those around us constantly. We have to pick ourselves up most of the time and reach out when we’ve run out of that strength.

I’ve come up with a few tips to find ways to help yourself cope if you struggle with finding ways to release your pain:

• Journal!! This is so, so, SO important! This is how I was able to gather my thoughts and vent without venting to the same people daily. That would’ve just driven them absolutely bonkers.
• Find a show/movies that help take your mind off things when days are really bad.
• If you don’t read already for relaxation, this is your chance! Even if you hate it. I know this has helped so many Cushing’s patients, even the ones who have mentioned they really didn’t like reading.

I hope these tips help you to find your calm as best as possible through the storm. If you have any tips, leave them in the comments for other Cushies to see!

Until next week,

XOXO, Catarina

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Note: Cushing’s Disease News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Cushing’s Disease News or its parent company, Bionews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Cushing’s disease.