Theme: Practice
I try to [practice relaxation] most nights. It [practicing exercises] will fit into [my life]. It [exercises] doesn’t take that long and I think once I figure out a schedule to do that with the activities then I think I’ll do that [practice exercises] a lot. The deep breathing one I use about once every three to four days, and the mini-relaxation I will use…once every two days… I use that one more than the deep breathing one, because I had the stickers at school and everything, I am more reminded to do that.
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Theme: Usability of Skills
The mini-relaxation… is really quick, you can use it anytime. It’s going to be helpful when I’m in class. They [coping skills] actually got me through some of the exercises some days. When I was getting… tired…or…frustrated, when I was learning new exercises and I wasn’t quite doing them right…I would…stop and relax [do a mini-relaxation] and get a drink of water and then go try it again. I [used activity pacing] didn’t push myself too far and I was still able to stay with my friends and do what they were doing. The mini-relaxations I will do during the day…if I get tensed up doing something. I will stop and do a mini-relaxation. Calming statements and I would be like…you can do this…you will feel better once you are done… I don’t feel better physically, but I feel better mentally, because I know I was active that day. Mini-relaxation I would do all the time when I felt a little tense…muscle relaxation I would usually do in the morning or at night before I went to bed. Pleasant imagery I usually did before bed or if I was having a lot of pain…calming statements…I did mostly when I felt…anxious or when I couldn’t sleep.
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Theme: Program Adherence
Not just being forced to do traditional physical therapy… with this being catered towards people with fibromyalgia. I was thinking that if she can do it then I can do it too. I need some sort of a plan. So this was helpful how it is always scheduled same day, same time. I get the concept but I forget the positioning exactly. So then they [exercise physiologist and psychologist] would right away be like ok here. It was never like, “Why would you forget something like that?”…they were really helpful. At the end of it she gave us this program [handouts] so we can keep on going…I think I’ll do really well with them. We got the BOSU [balance trainer device] and … a packet of exercises [to take home].
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Theme: Barriers to Feasibility
If I’m already hurting I probably won’t do them as much. Flare-ups, because sometimes it is just easier to get into this mindset that…I am just going take it easy today. When sometimes getting up and moving makes it better, but while it is going on it is hard to remember that. I’ll be too tired [to practice exercises]. It was just like finding time [to do the exercises at home].
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