Living with Hidradenitis Suppurativa
Today, I’m going to talk about mindfulness. Now, I’m not a zen Buddhist, or a mindfulness master, far from it! However, I am learning the benefits of being mindful. Have you ever drove somewhere on auto pilot and arrived at a destination with no idea or memory of how the journey was? Or maybe you’ve eaten a meal in front of the tv and only noticed your empty plate. Being mindful allows us to be present. To notice the little things, that we would otherwise miss.
Distraction at its best
Joyfully while doing this our brains are less likely to think about pain or the general fatigue that HS can cause. So, if you have never had a go at mindfulness try this; go look out of a window and just spend literally one minute looking out, seeing what you can notice. A sparrow, children playing, someone mowing, people driving past. Our brains aren’t great at multi-tasking so you might just find that this creates a tiny space for you to just be.
Fighting back with your mind
Living with Hidradenitis can be so draining, it can consume you and take over all your thoughts. Well mindfulness might just help you to take some control back. We must not let HS take over our lives, we must live well despite it. At times this may seem hard, impossible even. However, mindfulness might just be another tool in your toolbox to help you ride the rollercoaster that is Hidradenitis Suppurativa.
Being mindful takes practice, but if ever anyone can do it, those of us who live with HS can. Start small, practice and find what works for you.
About the Author
Clare Knighton is a Peer support worker from Worcester, England. Clare lives with HS and has done so for the past ten years. She is passionate about helping others to talk more openly about the condition and about improving our mental wellbeing.
