Hey everyone!

Labyrinths have always fascinated me. The unicursal labyrinth, which has only one path from the entrance to the center, looks complex, but is actually very simple to draw. Unless you want to turn it into a piece of art, but that's another story. I have attached some illustrations so that you too can try to draw a basic labyrinth.

I write about my interest in labyrinths because the ones I have drawn remind me of this winding, one-way path that allows me to manage my mind when the pain becomes close to the unbearable.

For example, in terms of managing pain and anxiety, I follow a rule that I call the 3-day rule. In case of new worrying symptoms (you know, the ones that make us question whether or not we need to run in the emergency room), I observe for 3 days how my condition progresses before making a decision. It depends on each case, of course, and there is no question of giving up care if a vital emergency arises, but so far, it is a rule that allows me to calm my anxieties and stop my mind in his attempts to construct catastrophic scenarios. In short, you understand me, it is above all a question of measure.

The 21-day rule concerns the taking of medications or supplements. Whether it is to start a new treatment, or to stop one, I have found that it is best to do this gently and spread the process over 21 days. It also works when I want to cut back on medication. For example, I have taken beta blockers for a very long time to reduce my heart rate and control tachycardia. But at a certain point, this drug got too strong, and caused discomfort, bradycardia (especially at night) and drops in blood pressure. So, I reduced it in several phases, going to a minimal dose of ¼ of 2.5 mg (0.625 mg) per day (which the doctors found extravagant, but which suited me very well, the goal being to keep heart beats below 100 per minute).

During these 21 days, I sometimes take steps, for example, every week, or every 3 days. It depends on the adaptation and the reactions of my body. But generally speaking, I am extremely careful and apply this transitional phase as soon as there is a significant change in my treatment. Again, this allows me to stay calm when I sense reactions to change taking place. Instead of panicking, I tell myself that after 21 days my body will have found a new balance and the symptoms that appear from the changes in treatment will subside. Sometimes you have to face the facts faster and eventually go back. But in a lot of cases the 21-day rule works for me like a one-way labyrinth where you just have to follow the winding path until you reach the center at the end of the process.

ONE DAY AT A TIME IS DEFINITELY THE WAY TO FOLLOW.

Pericordially yours,

Vali