Since his teens, Antony Chuter has faced severe discomfort from recurring kidney stones, compounded in adulthood by issues caused by sciatica, and a connective-tissue condition affecting his feet, shoulders, and elbows.
Based in the United Kingdom, the now-51-year-old former IT engineer from Uckfield, East Sussex, used to try to push through his pain. In the early 1990s, he and his then-partner renovated houses, and went sailing and night-clubbing. “We had a busy, active life,” he says. But gradually the pain took over. Chuter started cancelling social engagements, and eventually lost his job, home and relationship. He sunk into depression.
Chuter’s doctor referred him to a pain clinic in 1995 but the real turning point came almost a decade later, when he participated in a six-week programme that included a peer-led pain self-management course. “It was a game-changer,” he says. “I’ve learnt the importance of living for the day and finding enjoyment in the things I’m able to do.”
For relief he also does some gentle exercises, like an aqua walking class and simple workouts in the gym. And when Chuter feels pain flaring up, he’ll listen to music and play a game on his phone. “That helps me chill out,” he says.
Relaxation is just one of several methods he relies on to stay healthy and happy. He has a new partner and a comfortable home. And he’s thrown himself into helping others dealing with long-term pain by setting up a men’s support group, which meets twice a week on Zoom. “We listen to each other,” he says. “The only rule is that we talk about how we feel in the moment. It’s very cathartic.”
Denne historien er fra July 2023-utgaven av Reader's Digest India.
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Denne historien er fra July 2023-utgaven av Reader's Digest India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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BOOKS
Books review
STUDIO - Off Lamington Road by Gieve Patel
Oil on Canvas, 54 x 88 in
NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF MEDICINE
FOODS THAT FIGHT DEMENTIA
TO HELL AND BACK
The Darvaza crater in Turkmenistan is known as the Gates of Hell. I stood on its edge - and lived to tell the tale
THE SNAKE CHARMERS
Invasive Burmese pythons are squeezing the life out of Florida's vast Everglades. An unlikely sisterhood is taking them on
Sisterhood to Last a Lifetime
These college pals teach a master class in how to maintain a friendship for 50-plus years
...TO DIE ON A HOCKEY RINK
ONE MINUTE I WAS PLAYING IN MY BEER LEAGUE, THE NEXT I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL
Just Sit Tight
Broken, battered and trapped in a ravine for days, I desperate driver wonders, \"Will anyone find me?\"
Allow Me to Mansplain...
If there's one thing we know, it's this: We're a nation of know-it-alls
THE BITTER TRUTH ABOUT SUGAR (AND SUGAR SUBSTITUTES!)
It's no secret that we have a serious addiction. Here's how to cut back on the sweet stuff, once and for all.