I have noticed that those of us on medicine bounce, fidget, and pace. Why is
it that when all I want to do is rest; I end up pacing, fidgeting, and bouncing?
The reason is, is that there is a brain-timing mechanism that medicine affects.
When I walk, I can't just walk. I end up counting my steps. To avoid counting,
I try to listen to music as I walk.
But, I am getting ahead of myself. Bouncing, fidgeting, and pacing seems
like I have boundless energy, but I actually am trying to avoid cramping. This
cramping I associate with the phrase- muscle sepsis. The medical field terms
these side-effects as.akathisia .
What happens is that when you try to relax your muscles, your tendons start
to partially contract or you get mild stomach cramps (and those make you rock).
At this time, there is no alternative treatment that allows you the freedom to
relax, but there are coping skills.
Some coping skills that I have found helpful is: walking (at least a mile),
putting your heals against chair legs with your toes bent (this is especially
helpful if you find yourself bouncing your legs), a long hot bath (this has a
calming effect and helps you rest when you are going to sleep), going to bed
on a full stomach (this keeps daydreams away at night), then there is reading
in bed (this distracts you and seems to calm restless legs), and finally, staying
awake during the day (so you can be tired enough at night to fall asleep without
restless legs).
Please look for other Vocabulary ABC's links to explainations of what is
what to the mentally ill and their family.
Surviving Mental Illness from the Inside Out
it that when all I want to do is rest; I end up pacing, fidgeting, and bouncing?
The reason is, is that there is a brain-timing mechanism that medicine affects.
When I walk, I can't just walk. I end up counting my steps. To avoid counting,
I try to listen to music as I walk.
But, I am getting ahead of myself. Bouncing, fidgeting, and pacing seems
like I have boundless energy, but I actually am trying to avoid cramping. This
cramping I associate with the phrase- muscle sepsis. The medical field terms
these side-effects as.akathisia .
What happens is that when you try to relax your muscles, your tendons start
to partially contract or you get mild stomach cramps (and those make you rock).
At this time, there is no alternative treatment that allows you the freedom to
relax, but there are coping skills.
Some coping skills that I have found helpful is: walking (at least a mile),
putting your heals against chair legs with your toes bent (this is especially
helpful if you find yourself bouncing your legs), a long hot bath (this has a
calming effect and helps you rest when you are going to sleep), going to bed
on a full stomach (this keeps daydreams away at night), then there is reading
in bed (this distracts you and seems to calm restless legs), and finally, staying
awake during the day (so you can be tired enough at night to fall asleep without
restless legs).
Please look for other Vocabulary ABC's links to explainations of what is
what to the mentally ill and their family.
Surviving Mental Illness from the Inside Out