Feeling Alone in Our Struggles
There’s a line I wrote in my blog “Life in Flashes,” when I first started writing, that I have begun questioning lately:
“Narcolepsy isn’t just one part of my life...it is my life.”
It’s been almost 2 years since that was written, and a lot has changed since then.
I see how much power I was giving my narcolepsy
When I say a lot has changed, I mean more in terms of the person I have become. I believe that we are forever changing and evolving. At least, I hope that’s what I always aim to do.
At the time I wrote this, I had only just begun talking about my experiences and openly sharing my struggles. In many ways, it definitely helped me somewhat come to terms with something that I was in denial of for a long time. But now I see how much power I was giving to this condition.
I basically made it my entire life, and it’s not.
I am much more than just my narcolepsy, and I refuse to let it control me.
Everyone has their struggles, and this is mine
I know that it’s much easier said than done, of course, but if I have to I will fight it until the end of my days.
I choose to believe that everyone has their own particular struggles to overcome, and this is mine. Yes, some people have struggles that we may believe are easier to cope with than an incurable, life-long disease, but it’s their struggle and only they know the challenges they face.
It's okay to grieve sometimes
It’s never easy to focus on the positive things in life when we are struggling so much just to get through the day, and I think it’s okay to grieve sometimes and let ourselves feel the pain. It would be inhuman not to.
However, lately, I know that I have been allowing it to consume me, and this is not the answer. It’s easy to give in to the sadness and feelings of sheer desperation, but if we do, eventually these feelings will control us and only lead us deeper and deeper into a dark hole that we may never get out of.
Reminding ourselves that we are not alone in these struggles
I guess this is my attempt at being strong and doing what I can to keep fighting.
For me, it’s important to share these struggles that we are all facing and hope that even if it’s hard for me to see the light right now, maybe this will light a torch for someone else.
In this community, we always remind each other that we are not alone, but it’s very easy to still feel alone most days. I just want to remind us all, including myself, that we aren’t alone, and that it’s important to reach out if you ever need it.
Do you struggle with feeling alone in your experience of living with narcolepsy? Our community is here for you. Share your story in the comments below, on our stories submission page, or in one of our forums.
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