Feeling depression due to physical pain.

[Metalhead]

My lower back hurts a lot, and the doctors told me it was because I spent way too much time sitting in front of my Xbox while neglecting food and drink during weekends. They also told me I needed to stretch my back a few times a day and add core muscle exercises to my regiment.

I lost 11 lbs in the last month, and I thought I was off to a great healthy start, and then this comes up.

I wish I could say I was too young for this crap to be happening, but I am 44.

At least I am now building up more of a local social life. A friend recently offered to drive me to a monthly movie appreciation night in Seattle to meet with other cinephiles. I will take him up on that offer. I also am doing more local meetups and paying people gas money to get me to and from them.

But my back makes me feel like I wish I could have a CBD IV injecting into me 24 hours a day, at least until it heals.

 

[Judge]

My lower back hurts a lot, and the doctors told me it was because I spent way too much time sitting in front of my Xbox while neglecting food and drink during weekends.

Sounds similar to my story but from sitting here at the computer too often. Even with all the proper ergonomic considerations. Right now I'm contemplating whether to get a new and firmer mattre$$ for my back. Ouch they're so much more expensive now. More pain, but in the wallet.

 

[Forest Cat]

11 pounds in a month? That's impressive. Lower back pain often comes from hunching, so making a habbit out of keeping your back more straight could help a lot. But I'm sure you already know this.

 

[MildredHubble]

11 pounds in a month? That's impressive. Lower back pain often comes from hunching, so making a habbit out of keeping your back more straight could help a lot. But I'm sure you already know this.

Ironically, hunching can come from back pain too

I understand how much pain can effect your mood. I used to be so active, but it doesn't matter how much I do or how careful I am, I just end up in so much more pain. It really impacts how much I can do and that has a knock on effect with my mood and sleep.

I really hope your back heals up soon @Metalhead. Never underestimate the power of nice hot baths to help with a bad back! I wouldn't be able to sleep at all without a bath each night.

Also maybe consider investing in a really good ergonomic chair for your gaming etc, one with lumbar and neck support. Gaming chairs often incorporate these things but you are mostly paying for that racing look! You can save a bit of money on a more boring looking ergonomic office chair!

 

[Aspychata]

That's so impressive. You really are losing weight. Sadly as us being on the spectrum, we love sitting in front of boxes. Gaming, gambling, new software, we here are all addicted.

 

[MildredHubble]

That's so impressive. You really are losing weight. Sadly as us being on the spectrum, we love sitting in front of boxes. Gaming, gambling, new software, we here are all addicted.

I just had the sudden realisation that most of my time is spent putting things into boxes or taking them out. Sometimes they are big steel boxes on wheels, other times they are smaller boxes made of plastic, I open the boxes, fix the things in the box, then put those things back in. Then I sit and watch the box do cool things, before I wrap it in bubble wrap and put it into another box for safe keeping. Life seems to involve a lot of boxes now I think about it!

 

[Aspychata]

It's scary. We sit in front of boxes. No shame.

 

[Metalhead]

I called in sick two days in a row because the pain is now spreading down my leg. I feel like breaking my sobriety, quitting my job, living off my SSDI alone for a while.

 

[Rodafina]

I feel like breaking my sobriety, quitting my job, living off my SSDI alone for a while.

You could quit your job and live off of SSDI without breaking your sobriety.

If you didn’t have to work, relieving the pressure from your current job might make you feel better and you could focus on your health.

Will breaking your sobriety bring you the things you want in life? Will it bring you back to a time in your life that wasn’t going well?

 

[Metalhead]

What have you had to eat and drink today,
and when?

You could quit your job and live off of SSDI without breaking your sobriety.

If you didn’t have to work, relieving the pressure from your current job might make you feel better and you could focus on your health.

Will breaking your sobriety bring you the things you want in life? Will it bring you back to a time in your life that wasn’t going well?

If I quit my job, I would have to get used to eating beans and rice for every meal very quickly.

I am talking with my therapist this afternoon, she specializes in addiction issues. I will make no hasty moves in the meanwhile.

 

[WhitewaterWoman]

I’ve got to say I’m impressed with your sobriety and wish you many more days, one day at a time.

There are some things that may help relieve your back pain. One is physical therapy and the exercises they recommend for you.

That said, sometimes the exercises you do to get in shape may cause back pain. I had a friend with terrible back pain and it took years before he figured out it was from doing sit-ups.

Acupuncture is frequently successful with back pain.

A heating pad. A

A TENS unit. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, known by its acronym TENS, is a modality that uses electric current to activate nerves in order to decrease pain. The TENS unit is a small device, often battery-operated, which can sometimes even fit into a pocket.
from google.

I hope you find some relief from the pain.