how I recovered from CFS after being ill for almost a decade | chronic fatigue recovery story + tips

Nervous system dysregulation started with complex childhood trauma; not having co-regulation with a caregiver to establish a regulated nervous system, and then not having a safe parent to co-regulate with when I felt scared. Then you make adaptations to survive, further dysregulating my n/s, and it snowballs from there, turning into anxiety, panic disorder, and then when I had several high stress situations happening at the same time, I crashed and developed CFS/ME. Trauma therapy is the thing that finally made sense to me. SE Somatic Experiencing; Peter Levine’s work. He also has written books.

Honestly kind of weird to me that I’m just now seeing this video. Silke, I just want to thank you for helping me with my journey of healing from CFS. Your ASMR videos helped me out so much when I first started this process a couple years ago. I got out the US military about a year ago. I was in a special operations unit, and even with the usual stress of working in a setting like that I had the added stress of not truly fitting in there. After my first deployment I decided I just couldn’t do the infantry stuff anymore and quit my ‘cool guy’ job for an office job in the same unit. The dissonance between my souls yearnings and the duties of that job just became too much to cope with. When I quit my infantry role a lot of people took it personally and a some seemed to want to make my life hell after the fact so it wasn’t exactly a healthy work environment. The height of my battle with CFS was when my nervous system was just buzzing all day from being on edge. I would put on your ASMR videos to fall asleep every night. If I didn’t I just could not get out of my head. I eventually started learning about all of the techniques you were talking about in your videos which lead to picking up a meditation routine which has been huge. It’s like the ASMR videos you make were my training wheels to get to where I actually learned about down regulating my nervous system on my own haha. Ultimately though this is 98% lifestyle changes. I’ve had to let go of a ton of limiting beliefs, old behavior patterns, and friendships that weren’t serving me anymore, but the universe was just waiting for me to open the space in my life to allow new ones in. I’ve started looking back on my battle with CFS, and more and more I’m coming to the conclusion that CFS isn’t a ‘disorder’ or something wrong… it’s the human organism rejecting modern living. For whatever reason a lot of people in our generation just can’t seem to handle the expectations placed on us by society, and when we deny those urges for so long to ‘play by the rules’ it catches up to us eventually. I do think the up tick in CFS could have something to do with humanities evolution and returning to our roots. The way we’ve been operating as a species isn’t sustainable on any level - personally, societally, or ecologically - and my guess is that CFS is a physical/emotional/spiritual manifestation of that pattern of behavior. As much as I wouldn’t wish CFS on anyone it is very cool to me that the people who learn the ride the wave so to speak always come out on the other side truer to who they are, and more in alignment with the gifts they’re meant to give to the world. Anyways, there’s my novel. Thank you so much for being who you are. You are truly a permission slip for the rest of us to live more authentically, and more in alignment with our core values.

i appreciate you so much. healing from this as a single mom of two toddler boys. we can do it!!!

It’s interesting because when your video started and you described your symptoms I thought “I wonder if she’s done any nervous system work to heal!” I’m glad more people are starting to pay attention to it.

Thank you for sharing vulnerably and authentically Silke! I am so happy that you get to go out and enjoy all those things you haven’t been able to do in a long time 😊.

I was diagnosed with CFS in 2011. I worked a job that was very stressful for thirty plus years. Having watched documentaries on the subject, I am thankful that my symptoms are relatively mild compared to many others. I still have days when I sleep 15-17 hours at a time, but for the most part I can function on a day to day basis.

I’ve had CFS since 2016. This video gives me sooooo much hope!! Thank you so much for sharing your story 🥰

That's such great news!!! 🤗🎉💕How exciting to be able to look forward to all sorts of plans with newly found energy! I'm really happy for you, it's amazing how trauma and stress can screw us up, creating suffering that's invisible to other people...very isolating as well. Grateful for resilience!! Well done you, amazing soul! Sending love your way! 💕😘🤸🧚💐

Thank you so much for sharing this! I’ve had POTS for 11 or 12 years now and the fatigue has been debilitating at times. I love Raelan’s channel too. It’s so empowering to hear the recovery stories and makes me very happy to hear yours 💕

I’m so happy for you that you’ve healed!! I’ve been watching your channel for a long time and have followed along with this journey of yours, and it’s so amazing that you’ve gotten to this place 💝💖 also, I found your channel shortly after I went vegan so you’ve been huge inspiration for me with that lifestyle shift too. at first, when you announced you weren’t fully plant based anymore, I will admit I was sad to read it.. but you truly tried to heal while still plant based, for so long, and I have massive respect for that. at the end of the day, we’re all just doing what we can & you’ve got to do what’s best for you ✨ wishing you even more growth and healing along your path, Silke! 💐🕊

Hi Silke! I haven't commented in a while, but have been here all along! I just want to say that I am BEYOND happy for you and I'm so proud of you for all the hard work, self reflection, commitment and thought that you put into your recovery journey. Even more than that, your honesty and humbleness in sharing your story with us. I teared up I was so happy for you. I really hope to see more of you on here - I've been struggling with my own mental health for the last few months and watching your videos has really helped, because it makes me feel like I'm coming home. I relate to SO much of what you share. And on a side note, your friendship with Vanessa looks so magical. I really hope that I will be able to meet you someday to thank you for all that you've done and are doing with me. Your videos, mean the world to me. I hope you are staying safe, happy and well. Thank you again for sharing your amazingly inspiring story. I learned a lot from this. Sending you all my love from Lizzie in Ottawa, Canada :) xx

I’ve been starting to follow you more as I gain insight in how to release trauma, invite more joy, and live life on my own terms. I appreciate your honesty and also all the effort you put in to sharing the experience. It’s been a tough giving permissions to have a self paced life. I’m currently exhausted and in college myself to initiate freedom to feel safe in my community, like really have a global community that allows this rebirth to come through.

Thank you for sharing your story and journey. It’s really important that more people learn about nervous system recovery for CFS and related illnesses.

Thank you so much for sharing about this incredibly important topic ❤

It's a cloudy day here but every time I click one of your videos the sun bursts out ☀️ so happy you have overcome this chapter of your life 💗

Thank you for sharing your journey! You sparkle!

Very interesting.. and beautifully honest.. looks like your in a fab place.. so happy for you Silke.. lots of love x

What an amazing vlog!!! You touched on SO many areas that are relavant to me. Especially loved the part about neuro plasticity, trauma and the nervous system. Your description of it was super helpful and also so many on point resources. I got my notebook 1/3 of the way in, lol. I just discovered you a few days ago but I’m subscribed & signing up for alerts. Honestly, I’m at a kind of low point and this was perfect! Thanks for sharing with us. You seem really kind too. ♡ Ps, Everything you said was on point, including about learning that some reactions, like feeling sleepy sometimes in the middle of the day, are normal! It’s like we forget that in our fear state.

Thats fantastic! Its true, chronic stress for whatever reason is devastating. I think I need to read that book.

Very helpful and inspiring video. Thank you for sharing your experience and your journey, and I'm thrilled for you that you have healed. High five! There's so many aspects to this condition, that's what makes it tricky. We all have our own unique path and journey. We are all wired in a different and unique way, so yes! There's no magic pill, specific diet and linear path to this; just like life is not linear. We constantly change, evolve and grow. Much love. 🦋 🌷