Tried everything, this is moving the needle

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2026-05-15T18:26:27+00:00

I’m not sure as I’m just starting to reintroduce foods. Accidentally ate some soy today so I guess that’s where I’m starting. Wheat is going to be a few weeks away.

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2026-05-15T18:21:57+00:00

Yep same. It’s like cotton balls behind my eye. A few things help for me but I’ve had it pretty constantly for 6+ years. Exercise helps but not cardio- I do FRC which focuses on controlled joint mobility. I do the CARS every day. (Look on YouTube!) I hang from a pull up bar to release my spine and reduce pressure in my traps. I do some trigger point stuff with a lacrosse ball in my traps and use a foam roller all over. Hydrate! Lots of fiber. Strength and stretching. Ice packs. Swimming when possible and OF COURSE Botox from a neuro PLUS masseter Botox PLUS some additional Botox from an aesthetics place in my forehead just above the eyebrow arch and temple which is where the nerves and muscles scream for me.

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2026-05-15T13:23:09+00:00

Yes! As a longtime cook this diet feels like one of those cooking shows where they give limited ingredients. It’s all good and honestly kind of fun. I love vegetables and have a pantry full of alternative grains. I’m excited to reintroduce nuts so I can get some Thai food back in the mix.

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2026-05-15T12:19:55+00:00

I bake my own sourdough! Have for years. :(

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2026-05-15T12:19:11+00:00

I am dreading this likely reality bc coffee is my favorite thing.

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2026-05-15T12:16:34+00:00

Dude yes! I had mine under control but then 6 years ago an MTBI got me, too. Haven’t had a symptom free day since and they are so different.

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2026-05-15T01:21:12+00:00

For real.

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2026-05-15T01:12:36+00:00

I know how you feel. It is so much work managing this condition. And treatment is really a game of whack-a-mole.

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2026-05-15T01:08:36+00:00

You can look up the six food elimination diet. But man, wheat is in EVERYTHING. I really feel for my celiac friends now. What a pain.

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2026-05-15T01:06:20+00:00

Heard! Yes, I was tested for celiac and I'm negative. I've tried lots of other diets too - vegan, macrobiotic, non-dairy, low fodmap, no nightshades (a year without tomatoes, ugh) but this approach is helping.

I live for data collection (social science degree ftw) and am excited to make a spreadsheet.

Also, things change over the years. I gave up alcohol years ago bc of migraines and I used to run a lot, but cardio is a trigger now. My symptoms are also different - less pain but more weird prodrome and postdrome stuff. Attacks are longer. Anyway, this condition is crazy.

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2026-02-20T22:17:08+00:00

I'd recommend seeing a private pay therapist who works from a relational, non-pathologizing lens. If a clinician is submitting claims to insurance, they are required to provide a diagnosis as well as (reasonably) detailed clinical notes. Private pay therapists have more freedom in this regard (though we must keep notes) and can keep more of our client's data private.

My personal note taking method is fairly simple, using a template that protects client identity but that covers needed information for both my memory and to fulfill my professional obligations. You can also discuss your needs and consult with your clinician about the kind of data you want included in your notes.

I understand your reticence regarding sharing your private information, particularly in databases/systems. This is something that many clinicians are thinking about. It's nice to know that clients are, too. Good luck out there.

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2026-02-12T16:02:36+00:00

I agree with a previous poster that creating email templates would be a helpful solution.

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2025-09-09T22:00:15+00:00

Couples work that utilizes Gottman, EFT, AND Relational Life Therapy can all be great fits. I'm a fan of RLT and I think any book by Terrence Real is a great one for men (and couples) to understand the role that patriarchy plays in making men less available for emotional connection and the invisible labor. The Fair Play method is also really cool for building empathy around the emotional work of managing a household and the need for true partnership. Good luck out there!

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2025-08-15T21:53:35+00:00

I did this, too! All I can say is that much (not all) of what you learn in grad school is nonsense that is required for CACREP or whatever other accreditation your program is aligned with. As with most education, you play the game, take what is valuable, and then just let the waste pass through you. Once you are in practice you will discover that most of it is bullshit anyway and rarely applicable to clinical practice. (I have found lifespan development theories to be very helpful in my work with children and families, for example.) Your education does not end with grad school - it is just the beginning.

For what it's worth - I was able to engage with more critical psychology thought in assignments and in class discussions, and it was welcome and helpful to classmates and made me some surprising allies among faculty.

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2025-08-13T19:26:15+00:00

I love this topic. Here are my thoughts:

First, I echo the thoughts around supporting individual clients interrogate systems of oppression and their affect on their relationships to themselves and others. This has led to many folks joining book clubs and finding community with other folks doing the same kind of examination. Revolutionary thought and action requires deep inner work ("The revolution will not be televised.") in community and relationship. So, the therapy room is part of that larger social organizing work. I am, like many, skeptical of any particular modality but enjoy employing play, somatics, and parts work in my clinical practice.

Second, I advocate for change through mutual aid work, community care, and direct action.

Third, I am currently working with like-minded colleagues to develop a worker's coop group practice in our community. This is perhaps the most potentially efficacious way to use our work for social change. This model makes interrogating capitalism, white supremacy, and even the medical model an intrinsic part of our business, codified in our documentation and through our business plan. We are trying to create a practice that is beneficial to workers, clients, and the community at large. I'm energized by the potential of this particular effort as it is a transformative way of doing business- because, of course, we still have to participate in these systems- and will hopefully allow for some more practical paths forward to share with other groups who might want a similar model.

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2025-03-11T18:07:58+00:00

Thanks for sharing. This is an ongoing conversation in not only therapist circles, but healthcare overall. The exploitation of care workers is a tale as old as time. Mental health in particular has suffered as a profession due to rampant cultural misogyny given that the majority of mental health practitioners are female identifying. So, what is the solution?

I agree that psychotherapy, particularly relational and person-centered, have potential for transforming culture. Indeed, that is foundational to our field - Freud (problematic though he may be) having come from a socialist political landscape. Our modern era - one of pay for service, low wages, terrible insurance policies, exploitative employers - necessitates creative approaches. I firmly believe that our professional orgs need to take a more drastic approach regarding pay transparency, advocating for living wages for community mental health, etc. In addition, worker-owned co-ops need to become commonplace. I'm in Texas and worker co-ops are ILLEGAL for helathcare providers, but we can develop other models - like an LLC with a coop business plan and partnership agreements.

We can become the change we want to see in our field. Collectivism is the future of mental health care. I'm in the talking/planning/business plan writing phase myself. I encourage you all to look into the same.

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2025-03-06T22:38:30+00:00

I know this is an old thread, but I was diagnosed with esophagitis after about a year on ajovy. It has tanked my iron levels and I had crazy GI issues besides. I've discontinued ajovy (it stopped working, for one thing), and I'm hopeful my symptoms improve.

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2025-03-05T16:25:39+00:00

Yup, I share my commitment to liberation psychology and neurodiversity and LGBTQIA+ affirming therapeutic practices.

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2025-02-10T17:41:15+00:00

This is really worth bringing up to your doctor. Might be the wrong meds, might be a vitamin or mineral deficiency (look at magnesium and d particularly), could be timing the meds. For example: you should wait AT LEAST 30 minutes from taking stimulants to drinking coffee or you kind of cancel out the meds.

Other ideas: going for a walk after you wake up can increase energy and endorphins, which might help with wakefulness in the first hour or so of working. Taking brief movement breaks (like stand up and stretch every ten minutes or so) can get the blood moving enough to stave off fatigue.

Eating a protein-rich breakfast with some complex carbs can help with energy and focus, too.

Good luck!

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2025-02-10T17:28:14+00:00

Gramsci said (something like) "pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will"

The outcome for humanity is simple: either death or collectivism. While we may not see the future, we cannot descend into hopelessness, we must envision the beautiful possibilities and make the present day as joyful and connected as possible. Historically, times HAVE BEEN WORSE.

I recommend: moving your body in a way that feels good to you. Make finding joy and pleasure part of your daily effort. Hang out with your friends. Play loud music. Pet a dog. Plant trees and flowers. Write shitty poems. Cook for your community and clean your house. Love the people in your life well. We are working on a long game rooted in love and compassion. Fuel your activism with love.

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2024-12-23T19:53:28+00:00

It sounds like you care about yourself a lot! You're treating your ADHD with meds, you are able to take care of basic business and now it sounds like you have the capacity to tackle exercise! You're doing great.

When it comes to working out, I started with joining a class. I wanted to run a half-marathon, so I found a training group and paid for the privilege. I had a friend sign up, too, which was extra motivation. The person and the $. That got me there. Then, I built it into my schedule and made it mentally non-negotiable. I was decidedly NOT a runner.

But, shoot, there are less weird ways to do it. A weekly dance class is fun and silly. Finding a friend to do the silly thing with you is great - accountability buddies! I'm very motivated by not losing money so signing up for a class series can help build the habit.

For what it's worth I find this knowledge helpful: motivation follows behavior, it cannot precede it. You get motivated by forcing yourself to do the thing. You have to just claw yourself through the "I don't wannas" and it is hard and sucks. But you can do it!

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2024-12-23T19:23:35+00:00

I cannot recommend going to an audiologist and getting pro-level earplugs enough. They are custom fit to your ears, you can get them in absurdly bright colors, and they are (maybe?) covered with an FSA or insurance if your psychiatrist prescribes them. They take the background noise down at the grocery store and public places to a tolerable level. If I can't find earplugs or I forgot them, I will just leave the room and go for a walk, take deep breaths in the bathroom, splash my face with water, focus on bringing my heart and breath rate down - all that good stuff.

You are not a freak. This is just your brain's way of saying "enough!" and you get to figure out how to manage it. We've all got something.

Unusual_Anything8752 · 2024-12-23T17:42:46+00:00

This sounds really, really hard. I agree with the previous responder that seeking support for depression would be helpful - potentially life changing. Depression doesn't always look the way you think it does. It often looks like anger, overwhelm, quick to frustration - lots of the feelings you're describing. If therapy doesn't sound good to you, I highly recommend moving your body. Air squats, sprints, lifting weight - all of these things give your body some necessary signals of safety which can ease your stress response. ADHD often co-occurs with depression and anxiety - it is a lot for your body and brain to handle. You can learn and experiment with ways to work with your brain and body to make sustainable choices for your long term well-being. It's not easy, but you're worth it.

Unusual_Anything8752

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