Finding Balance Again: Living With PPPD and Rediscovering Wellbeing Through Birding
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| PPPD Cycle |
It has
been a while since I have posted mainly due to issues around health and
occasionally other family commitments. So I thought I would provide a post that
explains my symptoms and what I am trying to do to help as there is no simple
remedy to fix things.
Life
certainly has a way of piling up. Work, family, responsibilities, the constant
noise of modern living — all of it can quietly build until our bodies and minds
start sending signals we can’t ignore. For many of us, the pandemic intensified
that pressure. Even now, years later, its footprint lingers in unexpected ways:
confidence that never fully returned, a nervous system that feels
overstretched, and a sense that stepping outside our comfort zone takes more
effort than it used to.
For me,
that lingering impact took shape as PPPD — Persistent Postural‑Perceptual
Dizziness, often called 3PD, a chronic brain-based functional
disorder. It’s a condition that blurs the line between physical and
psychological, creating a constant sense of imbalance, motion, brain fog, lack
of concentration and disorientation. Some days it feels like walking on a
gently rocking boat; other days it’s a fog that makes even simple tasks feel
overwhelming. PPPD doesn’t shout — it hums quietly in the background, nudging
you away from the things you used to do without thinking.
But it
has also created an opportunity: a chance to slow down, reassess, and rebuild
life, less stress, less noise, less busy.
The Challenge of PPPD in a Busy World
PPPD
thrives in overstimulation. Busy environments, fast movement, screens, noise —
all the things that define modern life can make symptoms worse. And when you’re
already juggling work, family, and the everyday demands of life, it’s easy to
slip into avoidance. You stay home more. You do less. You shrink your world to
something manageable.
The
trouble is, that smaller world can become isolating. Confidence fades.
Motivation dips. And the simple act of leaving the house can feel like a
mountain.
That’s
where birding stepped back into my life — not just as a hobby, but as something
that helps. The triggers are reduced, no scrolling computer screens, no fast continuous
movements like you find in supermarkets, football grounds, not too much noise, which all contribute to migraines and the PPD
episodes.
How Birding Helps Heal PPPD
Birdwatching
is uniquely suited to people living with PPPD. It’s slow, gentle, grounding,
and deeply sensory in a way that calms rather than overwhelms.
1. Birding encourages slow, mindful movement
PPPD
often makes fast movement or busy spaces difficult. Birding, by contrast,
invites you to walk slowly, pause often, and let your body settle. There’s no
rush. No pressure. Just the steady rhythm of your feet on the path and the
quiet anticipation of what you might see next.
2. Nature reduces sensory overload
Natural
environments — especially wetlands, woodlands, and open countryside — offer
soft, predictable sensory input. Light, sound, and movement feel organic rather
than chaotic. For a nervous system stuck in “high alert,” this is medicine.
3. Bird sounds help retrain focus
Listening
for calls and songs is a powerful grounding technique. It pulls your attention
outward, away from internal dizziness or anxiety, and anchors you in the
present moment. Recording bird sounds adds another layer of purpose: you’re not
just hearing the world, you’re documenting it.
4. Birding rebuilds confidence through gentle
exposure
It is
said that PPPD often improves with gradual, consistent exposure to movement and
outdoor environments and birding provides exactly that — small, achievable
steps that slowly expand your comfort zone. A short walk becomes a longer one.
A familiar patch becomes a new reserve. Confidence grows quietly, almost
without you noticing.
5. It reconnects you with joy
Perhaps
the most important part: birds bring happiness. Watching a young Reed Warbler
learning to forage, hearing the first Willow Warbler of spring, or seeing a
Kestrel hover effortlessly above a field — these moments cut through the fog of
PPPD and remind you that joy still lives in the everyday.
A New Chapter: Birding, Faith, and Wellbeing
This
year, I’ve made a conscious effort to step outside more often. Changing
medication helped, but so did giving myself a reason to go: updating this blog,
recording bird sounds, and beginning to build my YouTube channel. These small
creative projects have become a bridge between illness and recovery — something
positive to focus on, something that gets me out the door.
Birding
has also become a place where my mental health also meets my faith. Standing by
the water, listening to the soft calls of young birds in the reeds, I find a
quiet space to pray, reflect, and breathe. There’s something profoundly
reassuring about watching a bird go about its day. It reminds me to trust the
slow process of healing.
And the
science backs it up: birdwatching is proven to reduce stress, lower anxiety,
and boost happiness. I feel that truth every time I’m out in nature.
Moving Forward, One Bird at a Time
Living
with PPPD isn’t easy. It shapes your days, your confidence, and your energy.
But it doesn’t have to define your life. Birding offers a gentle, restorative
way to reconnect with the world — a way to rebuild wellbeing through curiosity,
movement, and quiet joy.
I’m not
chasing rare lifers or racing across the country. I’m simply celebrating the
birds that share my local patch, and in doing so, finding balance again.
One walk
at a time. One bird at a time. One moment of peace at a time.
I hope it helps someone else who is struggling with life
under PPPD and that there is hope. I have still had a recent 13-day episode and
missed some of my objectives for August however September is a new month and I
will continue to do my best to get outside and reduce my triggers.
Enjoy your birding and thanks for reading.
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