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A Walk through the 12 steps: Step 2

© Cynthia Webber (Jausten)

Sticking our heads in the sand and hoping that our FM will just go away is not a realistic approach to our condition. Also, when the support systems that we depended upon suddenly aren't there for us, we can become depressed, angry and frustrated with not only other people, but also with ourselves. Depending upon other people and groups, created for our support, can sometimes let us down. Maybe our expectations are too high, or we aren't willing to look at the imperfections of our support systems. Using others to give us a quick fix for our FMS is very dangerous and unrealistic. We must get our heads out of the sand and educate ourselves first. Believing everything that someone or some group tells us to be the absolute truth can only hurt us more, both physically and emotionally. Our spirituality is also greatly affected when we allow others to make important decisions for us.

Step two of any 12-step recovery program is coming to believe in a power greater than ourselves which can restore us to sanity. Insanity has been described as repeating the same action again and again, and expecting to achieve a different result. We must learn that a power greater than ourselves is not our doctor, our family, our friends or our FMS support groups. When we allow these to become our greater power, we lose our sense of self and who we, as individuals, are suppose to be. Thus, we keep expecting these other sources to be perfect and always there for our needs. This is our insanity in action. We need to learn to place ourselves in the presence of something that surpasses all human capacity. Our computers and the Internet are not our greater power, but both can be used for learning and educating ourselves about our fibromyalgia. The power that is needed for each one of us is different. As individuals we must follow our own paths, and learn not to believe everything that someone or some group tells us. Individual education of the condition of FMS and what works best for us is the key to sanity in a world which wants to hide its head in the sand about this baffling condition. We must educate ourselves so that we don't depend upon what other people or groups tell us works for them.

No matter how out of control our lives seem, peace of mind can be achieved by learning to believe in a greater power than ourselves. Our willpower, quick-wittedness, or perseverance cannot heal our fibromyalgia. Turning to these sources again and again is no more useful, or sane, than going to a clothing store to buy groceries.

The copyright of the article A Walk through the 12 steps: Step 2 in Fibromyalgia is owned by Cynthia Webber. Permission to republish A Walk through the 12 steps: Step 2 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.