If you’ve ever watched soap operas for any period of time, you probably know about the soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful.”
One of the former stars, Susan Flannery, is one of dozens of celebrities that struggle with the everyday frustration and pain that is associated with fibromyalgia.
In this article, we’re going to explore her life and career, and then we’re going to take a brief look at what Susan Flannery has done in order to ensure that her pain is minimal and that she can continue to live and enjoy her life.
Who is Susan Flannery?
Susan Flannery was born in New Jersey, and went to school across the river in Manhattan. She currently resides in California, in the city of Santa Barbara and is retired at this point in time.
Flannery has had a very successful acting career and has won many awards over the years including three Daytime Emmys and a Golden Globe.
The main reason that so many people know Susan Flannery is because she played several roles in daytime soap operas. Her career started in the 1960s, when she played a doctor on the popular show, “Days of Our Lives.”
After that, she ended up being in a number of films, including The Gumball Rally, The Moneychangers, and The Towering Inferno. But, even with all of her different roles, she is perhaps best known for her role on the Bold and the Beautiful.
Susan Flannery was one of the first cast members for the show, and she played Stephanie Douglas Forrester. She was on the cast from 1987 until 2012, when the pain from her fibromyalgia made it so that she was unable to continue being in the role.
Even in the midst of her pain, however, she has still been involved with the television and film industries. She has helped produce a handful of different movies about a variety of topics, and on top of that, she actually helps direct the Bold and the Beautiful from time to time, when her schedule and the pain allows her to have the energy to do so.
Her guidance and direction have allowed The Bold and the Beautiful to continue being the series that it was, even when she was still on the cast. Because of that, people are still watching it and enjoying it like they did when it started almost 30 years ago.
Susan Flannery, even in the midst of her pain, has had a very successful career as an actress and, even though she is one of the quieter celebrities that is fighting fibromyalgia on a daily basis, she still plays a role in the community and helps with a number of different organizations that help promote awareness and research into the disorder.
As she grows older, she is doing a little bit less than she did, but she’s still in fairly good condition and tries to help out wherever she is able to.
How Does Susan Flannery Deal with Her Fibromyalgia Symptoms?
Susan Flannery has actually been rather private about her battle with fibromyalgia, preferring to keep quiet about what is going on in her life in relation to it.
However, we do know that one thing that Flannery has suffered with quite often is flare-ups. Flare-ups are incredibly painful and disrupt the life of the person that is experiencing them.
Obviously, the pain that is commonly associated with fibromyalgia is at the core of it, but Flannery also suffered from some of these other common flare-up signs and symptoms.
- Mental fatigue, where the mind is just exhausted from fighting the pain. This results in memory problems and concentration issues.
- Headaches, caused from the strain and pressure on the muscles.
- Stress and anxiety related to the symptoms of fibromyalgia.
- Digestive issue problems, including irritable bowel syndrome
Dealing with flare-ups can be really difficult, but much of the recovery process involves taking time for yourself.
Flannery set personal and professional boundaries while she was still working, and she practiced a lot of preventative techniques, including using medication and living life at a bit of a slower pace, when she was suffering from the frustrations of a flare up.
Her retirement was also part of her healing process. As we mentioned above, the pain that she dealt with because of her fibromyalgia played a significant role in her decision to go forward with her retirement, at least, as early as she ended up doing so.
Directing and producing are still just as stressful, but because she is only doing those things part time and she doesn’t necessarily have to be on her feet in order to do them, it makes it much easier for her to continue being in and around the film and television businesses.
Flannery’s fibromyalgia is an active topic on social media. Knowingly or not, she has contributed to making spaces where people feel comfortable talking about the disease and find solace in knowing that they are not alone.
Finding others who know first-hand the pain that you are suffering and can share knowledge of possible treatments can help encourage you and reduce the emotional symptoms and mental health issues that usually coincide with the disorder.
As you can see, fibromyalgia can be a debilitating and frustrating disease, and it affects celebrities and “average people” alike. This makes it all the more important for us to find ways in order to fight off the effects of this disease.
If you feel as if this disease may be affecting you or a loved one, you should take the time to discuss this with a therapist. They can help you to determine what is causing your symptoms and help you decide on the best course of action for dealing with them.
