<small>Go back to Blog catalogue: [[Blog - Home]]</small> -------------- ***Has POTS resulted in a period of isolation for me?*** Definitely. Just a little under two years ago, I was **studying** architecture and on my way to pursue studies in neuropsychology. I was **managing a restaurant**, couldn't spend a day without meeting a **multitude of friends**, was **talkative**, **physically active** and **socially desirable**. ![[Before POTS.png]] Now, I'm **beyond recognition**. I had to **give up my apartment**, **quit my job**, put my **academic endeavors on hold**, and cascaded into **social isolation** because of the myriad of symptoms that make social interaction **undignified** and **anything but pleasurable**. ![[After POTS.png]] It's a tough situation to find yourself in, but I believe it's **important not to find comfort in your discomfort**, for fear of falling into the pit of vegetation, stagnation and ultimately withering away i.e. deterioration. Articulate a confident, but **achievable vision** and **don't settle for anything less than that**. The saying '**A healthy person has a thousand wishes, a sick person just one**' holds a powerful truth. I find some vitality in **substantiating my experiences** by reading up on medical literature. Not being alone in this experience definitely provides some alleviation, but it doesn't give you insights into your personal prospects, and deriving strength from shared suffering is not optimal. Ultimately, what keeps me in check is being **stubborn about** the **return** to at least a **semblance of functionality**, even if it's one that you must build upon. ![[During POTS.png]] Having a healthcare provider who doesn't deflate your intelligence and is willing to give you a **genuine outline of the plan of action** is, I think, of utmost importance when **formulating a strategy**. I found that **articulating my predicament** in a journal, keeping track of my vitals, even if just as a mental exercise of routine, has been beneficial when serving as **irrefutable evidence of documentation** for whenever any doubts about the nature and validity of this elusive and invisible illness arise. The silver lining of this journey is that it enables you to **build unshakeable resilience** and **enough fortitude to last a lifetime**. The lessons you draw from the solitude of having to navigate a seemingly hopeless situation, as anyone with an ostensibly unresolvable sickness will have surely experienced, will equip you with the means to carry on with purpose, even beyond the boundaries of POTS. However challenging these trials might be, I believe it stands to reason that the **durability** one may extract out of it, is an **exemplary source of pride**. Do count on yourself! **Urgency is a paramount variable in the equation of resolving sickness**, so you're surely on the right track!