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What Helps Josie, 68, With Migraine

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Editor's Note

Please see a doctor before starting or stopping a medication.

With our ongoing “What Helps Me” series, The Mighty is leaning into what sets us apart from other health sites: We aim to provide real health advice from real people who live it.

In this spirit, we asked our community for the best insights and tips they’ve developed for managing their conditions. As always, they responded with their unique health stories and we are happy to pass along their well-tested resources to you.

Responses have been lightly edited for clarity.

Today, we meet Mighty member Josie. She is 68 years old and lives with migraine.

Josie, what helps you?

THE MIGHTY: What helps you most when your condition affects your physical health?

JOSIE: I feel better when I’m more physically fit, so I work hard to include some activity every day, like walking, gardening, yoga, or even vacuuming. On days when migraine hits, I do something simple, like a stretching routine that I can do in bed or a few yoga poses.

What helps you most when your condition affects your mental health?

I have a small circle of friends who are good support, and my spouse has been there for me through all of my tough times. I also try to approach each day with gratitude, and I see a psychotherapist when I’m really feeling down.

How do you cope when your normal self-care isn’t working?

I have a pretty solid self-care practice, but if I’m experiencing depression and can’t seem to work through my symptoms on my own or with good friends, I see a psychotherapist who helps me regain perspective. I also see a psychiatrist who can help me with my medications.

Thank you to Josie for her contributions to our community. Did you find this helpful? Add your gratitude in the comments.

If you want to tell us what helps you, you can complete our survey here.

Originally published: May 11, 2022
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