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Narcolepsy Nerd Alert: Narcolepsy Roadmap

Navigating narcolepsy doesn’t come with a roadmap, but it should. In an attempt to build that roadmap for others in the future, Project Sleep hosted a live event featuring our President & CEO, Julie Flygare, JD, to discuss what members of the narcolepsy community wish they knew at diagnosis.

Use the buttons below to jump to the different formats of this conversation.

Recording

Toolkit

Podcast

Transcription

Download the Narcolepsy Roadmap Toolkit

Narcolepsy Nerd Alert toolkits accompany each broadcast. These guides are designed for people living with narcolepsy and their loved ones to offer new tools, tips, and perspectives on navigating narcolepsy.

A Starting Point

“So, you’re feeling better, right?” This question can be frustrating when you’re newly diagnosed or adjusting to narcolepsy. Feeling “better” with a chronic condition is not always a linear process and can be overwhelming at times.

One useful way to think about the many aspects to navigating narcolepsy is to break the experience down into three categories: medical, social, and internal. Here are some common themes and practical tips for all three areas.

Medical Experience

The medical experience involves managing symptoms and accessing healthcare, doctors, and treatments.

  • Expertise matters
  • Seek a second opinion
  • Find optimal treatment
  • Incorporate napping, lifestyle changes, and social support
  • Be mindful of “cure culture”

Social Experience

The social experience involves managing relationships, societal roles, cultural expectations, communications, and disclosure.

  • Not everyone will “get it”, and that’s okay
  • Find resources and community
  • Separate emotional from transactional conversations
  • Use the “Spoon Theory” as an analogy
  • Create boundaries, then knock them down if you like
  • Build a strong “no” muscle

Internal Experience

The internal experience involves feelings and intrinsic characteristics, self-perception, stress management, and acceptance of the condition.

  • Pretending narcolepsy doesn’t exist eventually catches up
  • Your biggest critic is sometimes living in your own head
  • Learn to recognize and respond to your inner critic
  • Find the balance between what is happening now and what could happen in the future
  • Your experience will constantly change

Living with a chronic condition is an ongoing process of inner negotiation between social and medical needs… shifting between illness-on-the-foreground and wellness-on-the-foreground.”

– Dr. Jane Sattoe

Resources

Here are some of our favorite resources for navigating narcolepsy.

Major US Organizations:

International Organizations:

Narcolepsy Roadmap: Listen or Watch!

This conversation was originally recorded on January 27, 2021.

Project Sleep’s live broadcast series Narcolepsy Nerd Alert takes a deeper dive into specific topics related to narcolepsy. Hosted by award-winning geek Julie Flygare, each live event invites fellow #NarcolepsyNerds to explore unique aspects of the narcolepsy experience, contemplate bold questions, and learn from each other.

View all broadcasts and explore upcoming topics on our Narcolepsy Nerd Alert page.

Calling All #NarcolepsyNerds!

Whether you geek out about science, art, advocacy, or pop culture—this community is for you. Please sign up for updates on live broadcasts, video recordings, printable toolkits and exclusive prizes.

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