Archive for positivechange.myfreeforum.org Supporting Positive Change for People and Communities. A Self Help and Mutual Support and Life Coaching Board
|
Hecateh
|
body - mind connectionThis particular 'anecdote' seems to simplify matter too much but there is, to me a lot of, (common) sense, in the theory.
I believe I developed asthma as a specific reaction to something that was happening in my work life - and it went away TOTALLY when I changed my work TOTALLY and think it may have an influence in many illnesses.
Would love to hear your thoughts,experiences etc!
| Quote: | The interconnection of mind and body never fail to amaze me – and over the years I have seen various clients for work-related stress problems whose physical ailments often reflect their thinking processes and speech patterns.
And it’s not just me making these observations from my own office in Chester. Take the case of Tim, for example, which is cited in the “The Placebo Response”, an excellent book by Howard Brody, MD.
Tim, a 34-year-old had seen his personal medical practitioner, Dr Hankins, several times over a couple of months with an irritating skin rash.
“Initially,” writes Brody, “Tim’s condition was frustrating because his doctor couldn’t recognise the rash as representing any specific disease – and the general skin remedies he prescribed didn’t alleviate the constant itch Tim reported.
“On the third or fourth visit, Hankins decided to try a new tack and act on his belief in the mind-body connection by asking Tim to describe in general what had been going on in his life during the past several months.
“Tim talked a little about his family and home but, when he switched the subject to work, it became evident that he and his boss were having a serious conflict which seemed to have worsened around the time the rash appeared.
“After listening to Tim rant on about his superior’s maddening mannerisms and boundless shortcomings, Dr Hankins had an inspiration; the next time Tim stopped to get his breath, the doctor observed, ‘It sounds like he really gets under your skin.”
The story concludes, “If Tim had been a character in a cartoon, you would have seen a little light bulb start to glow over his head as he made the connection. He immediately agreed that the timing was perfect to explain the symptom. The rash disappeared shortly and never bothered him again.”
The language that we use to describe our everyday problems also plays a role in our experience of health. Several years back a hairdresser called Vivien told me about her severe neck problems, which were being exacerbated by crumbling spinal disks. Changing the subject, she started telling me about several issues in her life – and to my amusement, she described each problem as a “complete pain in the neck”.
While it would have been optimistic to expect Vivien’s symptoms to be immediately alleviated, she did find that by changing her language patterns – and choosing to see problems as “challenges” rather than as a “pain in the neck”, the number of painful flare-ups reduced from weekly to monthly. |
PS I also know that other illnesses have not been linked to my concurrent life. AND would have willingly swung for the 'people' (drs, other professionals, other people) whol blamed everything in my life on my obesity when I was large.
|
Nannyp
|
I have so much to say, and will not be able to fully join this thread until all my visitors have left in 9 or 10 days time.
It really is a fascinating subject...I know it well as psychosomatic.
Until I come back to sya and read more, I will tell you that for the last few days, I've had a really sore back. It ached when I got into bed, when I moved in bed, and I was struggling each morning getting up to standing. I knew that I hadn't injured it and also knew that it was likely due to some stressor.
When my visitors left yesterday, and just before I went to pick up Jo..it disappeared. I was no longer in pain, and vacuumed and made beds with no problem. I'd had a conversation with mark and realised it had been days since I'd had "me time" and that about sums up the last 2 weeks.
My back is now fine, as my exhausting entertaining is over.
And yes Helen, I am absolutley positive that your asthma was work stress related.
|
dingsy
|
Like Kathy, I'll return to this in more detail later, but a few thoughts in the meantime.
Jennifer suffered dreadfully from eczema when she moved to Devon. She had only had a few bouts of childhood eczema, so no history of it in her life. Only when she settled, made friends, and stopped being quite so homesick did the eczema disappear.
Likewise, when we first moved I developed ibs-the classic stress related illness. Not too sure what to make of that, because, as you know, I do have significant bowel problems, but.....
Brian's hair has been turning grey since he was 15, and he has been completely white since his early 30s. My first diagnosis of cancer saw his hair turn black, overnight! The reeversal of going grey overnight I guess (but it didn't last...  )
|
Nannyp
|
| dingsy wrote: |
Brian's hair has been turning grey since he was 15, and he has been completely white since his early 30s. My first diagnosis of cancer saw his hair turn black, overnight! The reeversal of going grey overnight I guess (but it didn't last... ) |
This is fascinating  Will have to think what that might be caused by
|
dingsy
|
If you figure it out Kathy, let me know and I'll do it again! 
|
angelfruit
|
Also got some thoughts on this one and will come back to it. Am perpetually tired at the minute though with going back to work :oops:
|
Guest
|
Oh what a fascinating subject.
NannyP :oops: sorry
I started suffering migraines before I even married my first husband, and as his abusive nature became more and more blatant (mental abuse, not physical), they got progressively worse. For a short time after I filed for divorce, they got better, but I foolishly went "out of the frying pan into the fire", and a second abusive relationship made them worse again. Then I started being bullied at work, and they got extremely bad. Now that I've got a much more relaxed, un-pressured way of life, they are fewer and less severe. I dream of one day being free from them altogether! Now, I know that some of my migraines are food-related, and those will probably continue, but there are a lot that are stress-related, and these are the ones I dream of being free from one day.
I also developed asthma during my first marriage. It was very bad, necessitating frequent steroid tablets, but fortunately no hospital stays. Now, I take a maintenance dose of the mildest inhaled drug morning and evening, and cannot remember the last time I had an "attack".
I also suffered eczma from time to time!
I had none of these as a child.
Looking forward to reading more on here about this.
|
Nannyp
|
It's okay Rose....... as you know we have had a long run...it continues, as my friend is staying longer than I anticipated....but I am okay and my back is fine and I know that I have to stop and take time out when I want to. I did that yesterday, and we are having a chilling day today. late getting up and doing our own thing.
I was married for 19 years (first time around) and for most of that time had gynae probs which often got in the way of sex. I often didn't want sex for several weeks or even months at a time. I had a hysterectomy at 35 (I'm now 52), which resolved all of the gynae issues..within 3 years of the op, I had left my husband. I wonder whether I was actually getting the gynae probs as a way of avoiding sex with a man I no longer loved??
I don't ever go off it now 
|
Hecateh
|
My periods lasted 10 days when I was married - 2 - 3 since mind you - I can't quite remember but I tkink I just said thaey did and they didn't really!!!! :ang12
|
Nannyp
|
Helen...you need more than the slipped halo!!
|
|
|
|