Fibromyalgia is an invisible illness and can be hard for friends and family to understand, especially with the lack of understanding in the area. There are many things that someone can do to support a family or friend suffering with Fibromyalgia:
Educate Yourself
Learn about the condition and the symptoms that your family member or friend must put with on a daily basis. This will help you to understand them better. Although the awareness of Fibromyalgia is increasing, it is still poorly understood. If you can be more aware of what symptoms they experience, it will enable you to be more sympathetic.
Help them find a daily routine
Try to help them find a daily routine that they can manage well, regularly. This allows them to keep active and complete their activities without overdoing things and causing flare-ups. The key with Fibromyalgia is knowing your boundaries and working within them.
Support them to keep up with daily activities
It is important for people with Fibromyalgia to keep active and keep moving. Like back pain, gentle, correct movement is better than no movement. So, activity is good.
Remind them it’s ok to stop if they don’t feel up to something
Equally, if they don’t feel well, are in pain or are having a flare-up of symptoms, it is ok for them to rest and listen their body. Friends and family can support them by not judging when they are not feeling up to taking part in social occasions or activities. Symptoms with Fibro can come and go and they can be hard to predict.
Provide them with emotional support
Fibro can be emotionally difficult for sufferers; it can have an impact on mental health as well as physical health. You can play an important part here and be there to support your friend or family member for emotional back up and a person to listen to their worries and concerns. It is also important to try and stay mentally positive. So, the more positive support you can provide, the better.
Encourage them to seek advice from professionals to improve their condition
It’s possible to lead a good life with Fibromyalgia, with good support from health professionals, symptoms can be treated and managed well and a positive approach to the condition maintained. It is really useful if you encourage your friend/family member to seek advice from a Fibromyalgia specialist to start a treatment plan.
