Emotional Stress

[rajs]

hello everyone - I am new to this forum, my wife has JWE Epilepsy, she was in remission for 4 years (since our marriage) and now her drop attacks / atonic seizures have returned.
My wife is a very emotional person, sometimes things get very emotionally stressed for my wife. I am struggling to control her emotional stress. I have noticed whenever she is emotionally stressed her emotions continue to flow and she is not able to control them, it usually ends with her having a seizure. She realizes later that she could have controlled her emotional response to prevent her seizure.

She is emotionally stressed because of a conversation / argument she might have had at work or family. I feel bad as I cannot be with her all the time when she is having a conversation with someone.

Thanks for listening.

[Ruth]

Hi rajs,

Welcome to our forum. You will get a lot of support here. We are here to listen.

You love your wife a lot. What works for my stress is melody music. Caffeine is a trigger. Check out what triggers a seizure. That will help you to help her reduce her stress.

[Bernard]

Hi rajs, welcome to the forum.

See if you can get your hands on a copy of Epilepsy - A New Approach: What medicine can do, what you can do for yourself. It discusses techniques for breaking the patterns that lead to seizure activity. Sounds like it might be helpful in your wife's case.

[Meetz1064]

and how do you do? Welcome to CWE!!! I hope you'll like it here. Plenty of things to do, and learn here. The Library and Kitchen are chock full of information, and the Padded Room is a great room vent in when you're having a really bad day. I think we've all been there a time or two, so feel free.

I have to agree with Mr B's suggestion about the book. I do actually have it, and have used it. The content matter is quite good.

I'm like your wife in the sense that I CAN be a very emotional person....it depends on what's going on. Some things, I really don't care. Other things, I just get going.

But do get the book. Have her do the exercises at the end of each chapter.

And for me, the best ways to calm down are to go for a walk in a rainstorm (yes, I KNOW I'm weird), or to listen to classical music--sometimes jazz.

Take care,

Meetz

[rajs]

thanks everyone, it really helps to be here. I will get that book asap.

[Ruth]

I did not know that there was a book. I will get it. Meetz, you are not weird, we all have different ways of getting rid of stress. Each one of us is different in what works for us.

[Ruth]

I just ordered the book.

[Meetz1064]

but you have to admit, Ruth, it's NOT exactly NORMAL for someone to go walking in a RAINSTORM...... *laughing*

PS....enjoy the book!!

[Ruth]

Hi Meetz, I have never tried that for stress. I will try it this coming winter and see if it works!! Laughter is a great way to relieve stress. It is working for us right now. Ruth

[epileric]

it's NOT exactly NORMAL for someone to go walking in a RAINSTORM...... *laughing*

Meetz, you should move here to the West Coast. Anywhere that it rains for 6 months of every year there's gotta be a lot of people walking in the rainstorms.

[Ruth]

This year California is having a drought. Not much rain to walk in here. At least this year.

In Oregon and Washington state it does rain a lot. Now I know how much it rains where you live, epileric.

[epileric]

Actually it's the rest of Vancouver Island that gets 6 months of rain. For some reason my town gets a fair bit less. (still more than I would care for though)

[Ruth]

Hi epileric, you always have to carry your umbrella just in case.

[alivenwell]

Do you have a dog? I find that having a good companion around, especially a very dedicated one, really blows away the stress. Dogs can listen attentively and not talk back (most don't talk/bark back) if they sense there's a lot of stress.

[Ruth]

When I was growing up, I had several dogs. It did relieve a lot of stress. I also had a horse and that also relived a lot of my stress. Animals are loving and do listen. They are very patient.

[rajs]

having a pet, is one of the things I have been advised, among others like taking a long walk, going on atleast 2 vacations a year (close to a beach)