I’m currently dealing with increased shortness of breath. Emotionally, I feel very frustrated and depressed about my increased symptom severity.
As a clinical health psychologist, I’m very much aware that my emotional reactions to my increased symptoms are important to closely monitor.
Heightened emotional distress will only cause a downward spiral in my symptoms, producing even greater emotional distress.
It’s critically important to short-circuit this vicious cycle. Although it is extremely difficult to do, I am forcing myself to remember that these symptoms will not persist indefinitely.
I can look forward to receiving relief when I see my ENT surgeon next week. He’s going to perform in-office steroid injections, directly into my trachea.
It really says a lot about where I am right now, doesn’t it, that I am actually looking forward to receiving such a procedure?
