Weekly recovery guidance - ME/CFS, Long Covid and related illnesses.

s-porter4
Sep 9, 2025
3 min read

Weekly inspirational quotes, guidance & tips to support recovery from ME/CFS, Long Covid, Fibromyalgia and related illnesses.

Week 17 - 9/9/2025 (Post 19)

'Mind Your Language!'

Safety and fear are at the root of these illnesses. In order for progress and recovery to happen, the brain needs to receive constant and consistent messages of safety. When this happens symptoms are reduced and the fight/flight begins to come down.

An important aspect of safety is the language we use with others and the way that we talk to ourselves (out loud and internally.) It is obvious, but important to state that our brains don't speak English (or indeed any other language!) However, the brain does respond to emotion, fast breathing, an increased heart rate, muscle tension, fear, something in the body that is abnormal, posture, the speed in which you are moving and frantic behaviour etc.

I frequently observe the following;

The illness has become a sort of identity. People frequently use acronyms and labels like PEM, CFS, MCAS, POTS, Long Covid etc.
There is a lot of negative language used e.g." What if I never recover? I think that this is my fault, I am not making progress, it must be my fault, I can't do this anymore."
People quickly share their illness with others. They talk about their symptoms, how difficult life is and that others don't understand.
The negative language used is very repetitious and there is rumination around the same negative thought.
Language used is often fearful in nature, for example, "If I do that, then I will crash, I am afraid to do that, I am not ready for that, I have tried that in the past and it went badly, I am so scared of the consequences."

None of the above are helpful or conducive to healing. Whilst it is entirely understandable, (and I was no different at all) using language and behaviours like this are just going to confirm that you are not safe and need protecting. Symptoms will continue, new symptoms will appear and sometimes symptoms can intensify.

I have found the following useful to combat the examples above:

To replace all acronyms and mention of individual problems e.g. muscle pain, fatigue, POTS, brain fog, adrenaline surges, crash and PEM with the word symptoms.
This might include using statements like -" I have had quite a significant rise in symptoms, my symptoms are here to tell me to slow down and not push myself." We must remember that there are over 100 symptoms associated with these illnesses. It is essential to treat them as the consequence of a hypersensitive nervous system/brain perceiving danger and not the root cause.
To use techniques that stop the negative, ruminative thoughts. You will never stop the negative thought entering your head, and you shouldn't try, but you do have a choice when it comes to dealing with the thought.
I would encourage you not to spend too much time talking about your illness. If someone asks how are things, you could just say, "Things have been a challenge, but I am working on healing" or "I am not well.... yet!"
I encourage the use of language that is more positive in nature.