Since I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2014, I find myself defining my days by the state of my symptoms: If my symptoms are worse—more slowness of movement, more stiffness, a fall—it’s a bad day. If my symptoms are normal, it’s an average day.
If my symptoms are normal, it’s an average day. If my symptoms are better, it’s a good day. Most of my days are average with some bad days and a few good days. These limited definitions focus on how I feel physically and don’t take into account the impact of depression, isolation, and apathy.
For the last month or so, I have been tracking my good, normal, and bad days, and noticed that my attitude—not my physical symptoms—most determined whether I thought the day was good, bad, or average. If I’m in a bad mood, I consider it a bad day no matter the state of my physical symptoms. Tracking my days has helped me realize that I can’t ever have a good day if I’m in bad mood.
In noting the tenor of my days, I’ve identified some tactics that help transform bad days into good ones. I hope they work for others as well.
Treat depression. If you are depressed or anxious, tell your doctor and ask for a referral to a therapist.
Reconnect with yourself. Recognize that you are more than your disease. Work hard to discover the “you” that existed before your diagnosis. This may help improve your mood and attitude.
Accentuate the positive. Appreciate what you have and don’t focus on what you don’t have. Easy to say but hard to do. Making a list of what you have helps and can be a form of meditation.
Express gratitude. Enjoy what you have and appreciate every experience. Demonstrate acts of kindness as often as possible. They will make you feel happier and develop a more positive attitude.
Combat negativity and isolation. Seek out activities that give you pleasure such as exercise, listening to music, and socializing with friends—all of which help combat apathy and depression. For me, spending time with my family, participating in group exercise, walking my dog, meeting with other Parkinson’s patients, and writing helps me stay positive.
Remain hopeful. Hope can be as much about anticipating that each day is a good one to hoping researchers will find a cure for our disease. Hope is putting yourself out there and having higher expectations. Hope contributes to a better feeling.
Identify the good days. Define what makes a day good for you and try to do those things—exercise, meet with friends, cuddle with your dog, eat a good meal—on the bad and average days.
Share the feeling. To reinforce the benefit of good days, be sure to celebrate them with your care partner, family, and friends.
These strategies aren’t fool-proof, but trying them consistently might just result in more good days than bad.
