Meet our #Warrioroftheweek, Varina Walenda💙
Spotlight on: Varina Walenda
Hello there
My name is Varina; I am a 35-year-old physician in the field of psychiatry and an author living in Berlin.
I have been suffering from migraines with aura since I was 14 years old. VSS has affected me on the 31st of May this year. I was having a bad migraine attack that night. After I woke up, I realized something was different with my vision. At first, I thought it was the side effects of my migraine pills. I realized that when I was looking at bright surfaces such as displays or white walls, there was a flickering. Also, when I scrolled, the images were traced. The sky was covered with moving structures. I saw afterimages that were messing with all of this. In the evening, I realized that in the darkness, there was static everywhere. It lasts until today. I am aware that I probably do have a mild form of it. But the worst thing for me was nobody knowing what it was and telling me it was psychosomatic, and thus, there was something profoundly wrong with my psyche. I was focused on my inside and questioning myself about what was bothering me so much on a subconscious level. It was a relief to learn VSS existed, but I am still struggling with this change in my perception of the world and have derealization and anxiety. But it is getting better, and I have many people around supporting me.
I am an author, and my first novel will be released soon. However, I am working on my second one atm, and it will be about my experience with having a change of vision and nobody taking it seriously.
I would love to connect with other VSI warriors! All the best for you!
