Are Emotions Ruining Your Health?
Have you ever considered why families have similar health histories for mental and physical health? Did you just accept that you’ll have diabetes like your parents and grandparents, or be depressed like Dad’s side of the family?
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I won’t dispute that some families are predisposed to certain illnesses. I won’t dispute that eating similarly can have a similar effect. However, that doesn’t mean you have to accept that as your fate. You’re not helpless.
Your mind is more powerful than any natural predisposition or even diagnosis you may have. It has been shown time and again that once a person is told they have an illness (and believes that they have it), it generally gets worse.
What’s anger (or fear or hate or sadness) got to do with it?
Even if the disease seemingly appeared out of nowhere (it didn’t - trust me), you don’t have to succumb to it. Many doctors agree that illness usually starts slowly and remains undetected until they are in the later stages. Have you ever heard of anyone diagnosed with stage 1 or 2 cancer? No, not usually. It’s usually found at stage 3 or 4. Many diseases can be caused by mental and emotional disturbances and increase in severity over time..
How can mental and emotional blocks be inherited?
Some mental and emotional issues are passed down from generation to generation. Think of the extreme poverty of the Great Depression. While your family may be well off now, with great careers, a place to live and plenty of food, the remnants of food scarcity and lack of enough money can still be a problem in your mind or heart, even though you may not have been alive during the Depression. Maybe you don’t have money or security issues with basic needs. Maybe you’ve inherited dysfunction in romantic relationships or a low self-esteem with working with people in authority.
Children watch their parents and grandparents very carefully and pick up social cues for how they are supposed to act with others. This is an instinct to help them survive. However, when children pick up beliefs that they are inferior to others or don’t deserve a certain amount of money, they’ve inherited beliefs that don’t serve them.
But, how can emotions and mental states affect my body?
Have you ever gotten a stress headache? Your body does respond to mental and emotional stressors. Generally, when your stress goes away, the headache goes away. Or, perhaps you take an aspirin and forget about it.
However, if the issue is something that doesn’t go away like daily stress, low self-worth or guilt about something, there’s no relief until you release it or forgive. You may not get a constant headache, but your body has to deal with the stress in some way.
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Some take it out on others, some hold it in. Either way, it is unhealthy for the body if it is not processed and released. If you look at a wild animal that has suffered a big scare (even your pet may do this), they will shake their body and literally move the trauma out of their system.
How does it manifest in the body?
Melancholy has been linked to liver problems. Anger and unforgiveness has been connected with colon issues. Eye twitches are associated with stress or nervousness. Obviously, there can be other reasons for these reactions, but there is no denying that the body uses pain to get your attention.
There aren’t many studies done with large control groups, so some licensed professionals aren’t convinced that your mental state and emotions are responsible for illness. But, many will admit that stress and pent up anger are often found in ill patients. And, that happier patients tend to recover faster.
What if?
What if you released a strong fear or forgave someone in a session to see if it improved your quality of life? Whether you believe that it will resolve a physical issue or not, isn’t it worth the peace of mind you can receive? So while you may have had a propensity to be overweight or have cancer, it doesn’t have to be the end of your story. Unless you believe it does. Why not take it for a test drive? Worst case scenario, you’ll feel a greater sense of peace. Best case scenario, you’ll ease some physical symptoms. Win-win for you!
Try it for yourself by attending one of our free virtual sessions to see how change can begin for you!*
Leave a comment below if you've suspected that there is a link between emotional overwhelm and physical illnesses.
References:
van der Kolk, B. A., MD (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, Body in the Healing of Trauma. New York, NY: Viking Press
Nelson, B., DC (2007) The Emotion Code. Mesquite, NV: Wellness Unmasked Publishing
Dispenza, J., DC (2017). Becoming Supernatural: How Common People are Doing the Uncommon. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, Inc.
*Please note all services are in complement to and not a replacement for licensed professional support.