Social connection is a biological imperative. A rich social life is good for our physical, emotional, or spiritual health. Migraine attacks can be unpredictable and may interfere with special occasions. We may start to decline invitations “just in case” we have a Migraine attack. When Migraine threatens our social life, we need to take action. Sitting at home alone, waiting for others to reach out to us doesn’t solve the problem. We must find ways to enjoy a rich social life, even with Migraine.
Been there, done that
Many years ago, I faced with loneliness and isolation brought on by poorly-controlled Migraine. During a particularly bad pity party, I ran across this quote by A. A. Milne,
“You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
That was just the gentle wake-up call I needed. Waiting for Migraine to go away hadn’t worked. I couldn’t keep waiting for someone to reach out to me, either. Instead, I decided to put myself back out into the world, Migraine or not. I made purposeful, intentional steps to revitalize my social life with Migraine.
Maintaining social connections
Not all social activity needs to be face-to-face to maintain a sense of belonging. Leverage the power of technology to keep in touch with friends and loved ones. A phone call, text, or brief chat online may be all that’s required to keep a friendship going. Make a point to remember birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions. Even if you can’t attend that special occasion, you can take a few moments to send a note, make a call, or order a gift.
Making new connections
We may have few people in our social circle who understand Migraine. That’s an opportunity to expand our circle. Migraine friends are an important part of a good treatment plan.
Practical ideas for migraine-friendly social connections:
- Ask your own Migraine doctor if there are local Migraine support groups available or start one of your own. Local libraries usually offer meeting space to support groups at no charge.
- Move Against Migraine is a growing online community of patients. The group hosts Facebook LIVE events featuring leading Migraine doctors and patient advocates. For more information, see Move Against Migraine Campaign in Full Swing.
Nurturing a healthy social life with Migraine is essential. The benefits far outweigh the effort and are best summed up by the famous Swedish proverb,
“Shared joy is double joy. Shared sorrow is half sorrow.”