I remember both times I got ill, the same thing happened. I was reading, and I lost the ability to hold the gist of the words in my head and follow the sentence line by line at the same time. It was more than not being able to concentrate and getting distracted easily, it was something worse than that. My exhausted mind couldn’t hold onto the meaning and follow the words as well. I was needing much more energy than a normal person to try to force my mind to attend to the task. I think all the other noise in my nervous system and frontal lobes (or wherever) was slowing me down and making my attention span buffer. It’s a very real disability that can take its toll as you try to work round it and keep a roof over your head. You know what you need better than anyone else, even if they don’t understand your problems right now.
Thanks for sharing this news, Mat. Yes, it is frustrating to have to take a step back, but gosh you are showing such amazing wisdom in realizing the need, and prudence in following through with what you know you should do. I'm very impressed.
My analogy is a matchbook. Every time I push myself it's like lighting a match from the book. One has only so many matches... Keep some in reserve.
Wow, that's another great analogy. It's true too. I have stuck with things at times when I should have retreated and have struck many matches in sticking it out. Thank you for calling it "wisdom in realizing the need". I've been told I am intelligent, but there can be a vast distance between intelligence and wisdom. It makes me feel good to think I may be bridging on having wisdom. Thank you.
Listening to and obeying your safety and well-being boundaries is critical for all humans.
Yes, people with SMIs have a smaller area safety net (I imagine it as a fluid invisible fence that accommodates variations in stress factors in any given point in time), but all humans have real limits.
Or to use another popular analogy, we all have a set number of energy/tolerance/performance spoons in our kitchen drawer.
Some people have more, some have less, but the supply is finite for all of us.
Kudos to you on acceptance and appropriate action.👌🏻
I remember both times I got ill, the same thing happened. I was reading, and I lost the ability to hold the gist of the words in my head and follow the sentence line by line at the same time. It was more than not being able to concentrate and getting distracted easily, it was something worse than that. My exhausted mind couldn’t hold onto the meaning and follow the words as well. I was needing much more energy than a normal person to try to force my mind to attend to the task. I think all the other noise in my nervous system and frontal lobes (or wherever) was slowing me down and making my attention span buffer. It’s a very real disability that can take its toll as you try to work round it and keep a roof over your head. You know what you need better than anyone else, even if they don’t understand your problems right now.
Thanks for sharing this news, Mat. Yes, it is frustrating to have to take a step back, but gosh you are showing such amazing wisdom in realizing the need, and prudence in following through with what you know you should do. I'm very impressed.
My analogy is a matchbook. Every time I push myself it's like lighting a match from the book. One has only so many matches... Keep some in reserve.
Wow, that's another great analogy. It's true too. I have stuck with things at times when I should have retreated and have struck many matches in sticking it out. Thank you for calling it "wisdom in realizing the need". I've been told I am intelligent, but there can be a vast distance between intelligence and wisdom. It makes me feel good to think I may be bridging on having wisdom. Thank you.
I hope you find this retreat calming. I think it's a good strategy to resign on good terms, too. Take the rest you need to be well. All best
Thanks Janice. You can't imagine the sense of relief I feel knowing I don't have to face those assignments anymore.
Listening to and obeying your safety and well-being boundaries is critical for all humans.
Yes, people with SMIs have a smaller area safety net (I imagine it as a fluid invisible fence that accommodates variations in stress factors in any given point in time), but all humans have real limits.
Or to use another popular analogy, we all have a set number of energy/tolerance/performance spoons in our kitchen drawer.
Some people have more, some have less, but the supply is finite for all of us.
Kudos to you on acceptance and appropriate action.👌🏻
The drawer analogy helps me a lot. Thanks for sharing that.
Have never heard the drawer analogy—do tell!