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Everyone’s experience with FND is unique.  My symptoms may be different than yours.  What works for me might not be the thing that helps you.  But, it might.  So, hopefully my experience will help someone.

When I first got FND, my brain was really flared up.  It was in a very bad state and needed a lot of rest for many reasons.  So, I listened to my body and rested.  And, this was a lot of rest.  For me, there were days when I was sleeping 13 hours during the day and then again at night.  I was pretty much sleeping most of the time.

Whenever my brain is really in a bad state, I cancel everything else and just rest.

I put away my phone, too.  It’s crucial to my recovery to avoid scrolling on social media, watching a bunch of YouTube videos, or searching on Google endlessly.  I limit myself to 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at night.  And I set a timer because it sucks  you in and it’s hard to know how long you’ve been on the phone.  This may sound extreme, but trust me, there are differences in an FND brain and a normal brain.  FND patients have been found to have lower baseline levels of different brain chemicals like dopamine, glutamate, and BDNF.  Scrolling can cause a dopamine crash when I stop.  That will only make my FND symptoms worse.

Pacing may be different for different people, but for me, it means one big thing a day.  That’s it.  And by a big thing, it could be going to the store or doing a load of dishes.  It’s very much smaller than you think it should be.

Don’t worry.  It has gotten better over time, and I’ve been able to do a bit more as I’ve gotten better at pacing and learned what my brain can handle.  

I know when I’ve got my pacing slow enough when my brain stops flaring up.  Then, I feel like I’m all better and you can do more.  But, I have to avoid that thinking for a while.  I do the slow pacing for a little while longer to show my brain I’m safe and it doesn’t need to freak out anymore.

If I go right back to what I was doing before, I will likely flare up again and have to start over.  And that’s depressing and discouraging. 

If you have energy to watch this video, it will explain a lot about the dopamine balance and what you can do.  But remember, this video was not made for FND patients.  We have a lower dopamine baseline already.  But, the principles are the same.

🧠 Key Brain Chemicals in FND

1. Dopamine

Role: Motivation, reward, movement, attention.

FND link: Studies show many people with FND have lower dopamine levels in certain circuits. This can make effortful tasks feel harder, and can also contribute to movement symptoms like tremor/jerks.

Sensitive to: Quick spikes (sugar, scrolling, overstimulation) followed by crashes.

2. Glutamate

Role: Main “excitatory” neurotransmitter; helps with brain communication and learning.

FND link: Lower glutamate has been observed in some people with functional movement symptoms. Too much glutamate can also be toxic — so the key is balance.

Sensitive to: Stress, poor sleep, processed foods, overstimulation.

3. BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor)

Role: Like “fertilizer” for the brain — supports growth, repair, and plasticity of neurons.

FND link: Research shows lower BDNF in people with functional symptoms, which may reduce the brain’s ability to rewire and heal.

Sensitive to: Sedentary lifestyle, chronic stress, sleep loss.

🌿 What Helps Regulate Them?

Diet

Supports dopamine & glutamate balance:

• Protein-rich foods (eggs, fish, chicken, legumes, nuts, seeds) → amino acids (tyrosine, glutamine) are building blocks.
• Omega-3 fats (salmon, walnuts, flax) → improve dopamine & BDNF.
• Fermented foods (yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut) → gut health is linked to dopamine + glutamate regulation.

Boosts BDNF:

• Blueberries
• dark leafy greens
• turmeric

Things to avoid/limit:

• High sugar & ultra-processed foods (cause dopamine spikes and crashes).
• Too much caffeine (overdrives dopamine, disrupts sleep).

Exercise

Dopamine: Rhythmic movement (walking, dancing, light cycling) boosts dopamine release in motor circuits.

Glutamate: Exercise helps regulate excess glutamate, preventing “overexcitation.”

BDNF: Physical activity is one of the strongest boosters of BDNF — especially aerobic, moderate intensity (like brisk walking).

Routines

• Predictability lowers stress (protecting glutamate balance).
• Morning light exposure helps regulate dopamine & circadian rhythms.
• Sleep hygiene (dark room, winding down) is critical — sleep restores dopamine and BDNF.
• Values-based routines (like music, connection, creativity) give natural dopamine reinforcement without “junk” spikes.

Other Helpful Practices

• Mindfulness & grounding → reduce stress hormones that deplete dopamine/BDNF.
• Novelty in safe doses → trying new activities (small, enjoyable) sparks dopamine & BDNF.
• Compassionate pacing → prevents “dopamine depletion” from overexertion.

✨ Summary: What to Seek & Avoid

Seek:

• Protein + omega-3s
• Colorful fruits/veg (especially blueberries, greens)
• Fermented foods
• Moderate rhythmic exercise
• Regular sleep
• Mindfulness, grounding, novelty, joy

Avoid (or limit):

• Processed sugar, excess chocolate/ice cream
• Highly processed foods
• Too much caffeine or energy drinks
• Long screen-scrolling sessions
• Chronic stress and overcommitment