Autoimmune Disease Support Group
A Central NJ Support Group EMAIL US AT: AUTOIMMUNEGROUP@GMAIL.COM
 
     
 

Our  Mascots are Marlie and Wilson!  

December, 2020


Wednesday, December 30th, 2020 VIA ZOOM

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Ice Breaker:  "Share you favorite holiday beverage with us!"  Members shared favorite holiday beverages and some added recipies in the chat bar of Zoom!

Some members discuss recent health challenges, one member was dealing with a recent hospitalization due to internal bleeding.

One member shares they are now up to 75% of their normal health and wellness!!!  They shared their journey over the last several months of towards self-love and acceptance and what steps they took via reading and YouTube that among other strategies that were credited as having been instrumental in this improvement!

The conversation turned to discussing a link between childhood traumas and being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in adulthood, sometimes decades later. Please click this link for a list of what constitutes a childhood trauma from the National Childhood Traumatic Stress Network https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types

One study showed a corrolation between autoimmune and the number of childhood traumas one has experienced, stating that having ONE of the traumatic experiences on the list determined a 64% increase in getting autoimmune as an adult. An adult experiencing 2 or more traumas on the list, those percentages increase to 70%. This is but one study on the topic, so please pursue your own research (at reputible sites) before drawing conclusions. 

One member shared some lesser known treatment modalities to heal trauma. There are treatment modalities available to post-traumatic stress that sound like they are worth researching further. This article from Psychology Today was insightful https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mindful-anger/201804/9-steps-healing-childhood-trauma-adult

Zoom was kind enough to extend no time limits on our chat! We allotted an hour but ended much later after deep, meaningful, sharing. 

GROUP RULES:

CONFIDENTIALITY is our number one rule, everything shared in group stays in group.

RESPECT is equally as important. Each person shall be respectful of every other person. You don't have to agree with everyone, but you must be respectful.

Please make every attempt to arrive on time. No one wants to be interrupted in the middle of emotional sharing by someone entering. Also, late-comers often miss important emotional sharing of their friends. Sharing is a two way street. We want everyone in the room to feel heard and accepted.

If you must leave early, try to minimize disruption by sending your Good-Byes on the chat feature and bow out quietly. It can help if you know you have to leave early to mention it in the beginning of the meeting at "check-in".

Try to prepare for the ICE BREAKER question by reviewing it the bottom of the previous month's meeting minutes. The Ice Breaker question is meant to help us to get to know one another on a deeper level. This facilitates trust, which is paramount for sharing deep and emotional concerns.

Listen generously

Don't interrupt

Remain open

And lastly, You do not have to share, you can simply say "PASS". Just being present can benefit you, and your being in the room is helpful to others in not feeling alone and isolated!

NEXT MEETING:  WEDNESDAY JANUARY 27TH, 2021 at 1:00 PM

ICE BREAKER QUESTION:  "What do you think is the secret to a good life?"

(oooo! mull that one over! Feel free to write it down to refer to it at the meeting "check-in"!)


 
 

EMAIL US AT:  AUTOIMMUNEGROUP@GMAIL.COM