Allergic to Thought: Messages from the Body

When we ignore mental pain, it sends signals through the body. Our thoughts and feelings are always reflected in the body, even if we are not aware of this continuous background. Let’s deal with those requests that are heard most often during consultations.

1. Allergies. Often in the process of work, it is a skin allergy that pops up, even if initially a person came with a completely different question. The skin is the boundary between the inner world and the outer. And often a conflict arises between them, for example, a frank rejection of the outside world, a feeling of its hostility.

The result of the conflict may look different: redness, itching, dryness, rashes. Sometimes this is a reaction to one particular person, whom we perceive as aggression from the outside world. The phrase «I’m allergic to him» easily translates into reality. A person experiences, but cannot express feelings in relation to the stimulus, suppresses them. Tension seeks an outlet and finds it through the skin.

Sometimes it happens that an allergy appears on the product that a person loves the most, as if forbidding himself this pleasure. That’s what happened to me. I love eggs, especially scrambled eggs with tomatoes. For me, this is a whole ritual of cooking and eating. And suddenly, already in adulthood, it turned out that I was allergic to my favorite dish. What is it about?

On reflection, I realized that sometimes it is difficult for me to allow myself to enjoy life. As a result of awareness, the allergy did not disappear without a trace, no. Very rarely I allow myself my favorite food, but already consciously. And I understand what great joy a banal fried egg can bring.

2. Insomnia. What keeps us awake the most? Restless mind. It creates the tension that is transmitted to the body. The mind worries about what has already happened or might happen. Some conversation is spinning in my head, plans for tomorrow. But most often it is the tension accumulated during the day. The inability to shed it leads to the fact that we carry it with us to bed.

To get rid of tension, you can perform a simple exercise based on neuromuscular relaxation. You can do it standing, sitting, and even lying down. When inhaling, we alternately compress a certain muscle group, focus on holding the breath (one-two-three), and then relax as we exhale.

Squeeze the muscles gently and strongly, but at the same time gently, without pain. Remember that this is not fitness! The point is to consciously increase the tension in the body that is already there. We start with the feet and then work in blocks: shins-knees, hips-buttocks, fists. Gently draw in the stomach while inhaling and hold (one-two-three). Then we strain the shoulders and shoulder girdle, pull them to the ears. At the end of the exercise, we work with the face — we also need to remove the tension mask from it. We close our eyes, we squeeze our lips, nose and everything that is possible. Count to three and relax.

Such a “wave” from the feet to the crown should be carried out two or three times. After that, you lie quietly and simply observe the sensations in the body. The main thing is to shift the focus from thoughts to bodily sensations. If the focus runs away, bring it back again and again. After a couple of minutes, you will not even notice how you fall asleep.

3. Headache. At the reception a young man 30 years old. Complains of frequent headaches. Passed the test, everything is in order. Literally on the eve of the consultation there was a strong attack. And shortly before the attack, he broke up with a girl who, according to him, constantly «broke his brain.» Sometimes certain situations or people cause a lot of tension in the body. If the other person «takes out the brain», criticizes and offends, then he does not accept you as you are.

Constant criticism causes stress. The body does not want to live under stress and literally screams out requests for help. «Explosion of the brain», «to take out the brain», «drips on the brain» … how else can you describe your condition? These words are far from harmless. Listen to yourself. Is it really important for you the opinion of the person who blows up, endures, drips?

Another possible cause of headache is increased responsibility for one’s own work. When a person tries to control everyone and everything, to bring to perfection any little thing, the business ceases to bring pleasure. It causes tension and just becomes a «headache». In such a situation, you run the risk of completely falling out of love with what you are doing. And without your love, the business will wither away.

The body is always trying to warn us of what we are not aware of. Let go of control, at least for a while. Just try it and see the result.

4. Teeth, jaws. When does an animal, such as a wolf, show its teeth? When he shows aggression. He demonstrates to the enemy that he is ready to bite, gnaw his throat. The Beast is unhappy when its boundaries are violated and its safety is threatened. There is an expression «show your teeth», that is, to show that you are ready to defend yourself, to fight back. What happens if you allow yourself to be aggressive? Will you be punished? Who are you afraid of?

The problem of teeth grinding and jaw clenching is often the result of relationships with loved ones, with parents. When we, gritting our teeth, must endure what we do not want to endure. We simply suppress the emerging aggression: “How can I say something, because this is my mother.” In such cases, it is difficult for many to even admit the thought of anger towards loved ones. It seems something wrong, unworthy. We direct this anger at ourselves, destroying ourselves.

Teeth can also suffer in a situation where we believe that we are not up to some task. And not to the point. We doubt and do not allow ourselves to bite into this matter to the fullest, to tear off our piece in life. And then it’s about working with self-confidence and self-esteem.

5. Knees. If discomfort and pain in the knees are not preceded by injuries or bruises, then the reasons are most likely psychological. The legs are our pillars. The loss of a loved one or job, divorce or infidelity is described in such words: “the ground was knocked out from under my feet.” The knees, as part of the support, symbolize forward movement. Pain or discomfort interferes with this movement. A person does not want to go forward, change the situation. Before him is a future into which it is scary to step. «I will not submit to anything, I will not yield a single step.»

And the more we cling to the old and resist change, the stronger the pain will be. “The situation has brought me to my knees… I can’t get up off my knees…” What is it about? Partly about pride. To kneel for this person means to do something humiliating, which is impossible to put up with. Pain in the right knee means that a person is trying to control everything, crushing with his authority. Pain in the left often speaks of fears and self-doubt.

In addition to pain, you should pay attention to weakness in the knees. Such a feeling arises in a person who has lost faith in himself. Doubts about oneself and the correctness of the chosen path, the success of the enterprise, a feeling of hopelessness and life in vain … A person looks around and seems to say to himself: “Everyone has gone ahead, come on soon!”, Pushes himself.

Pain or weakness may indicate that you do not want to go anywhere. For example, “legs don’t go to an unloved job”

6. Back. What sayings and phrases come to mind when talking about back pain or discomfort? “Put a load on your back”, “if there was a back, there would be wine.” In the process of work, heaviness in the back often comes in the form of an image of a bag or backpack, in which unpleasant memories from the past lie. A person, unable to part with this past, puts episode after episode into a “bag” and carries it with him.

What burden are you carrying? What did you put on your back? Happiness of relatives? Mortgage? Responsibility for the whole world? Guilt? «Get off me!» the back says.

Pain in different parts of the back speaks of various causes. If the reason is psychological, try the following exercise:

• Lie down on a hard surface.
• Take two or three deep breaths.
• Focus on the sensations in your spine.
• Track where there is tension, discomfort.
• Try to take a deep breath, and mentally direct the exhalation to the place where you felt this discomfort.

Repeat the exercise several times. Go all over the spine, help it release tension. A signal that the process is going correctly will be a pleasant feeling of warmth and lightness.

To get rid of pain and discomfort, sometimes it is really enough to realize the installation that interfered with life. To understand the personal causes of malaise, it is better to contact a specialist. Don’t ignore body messages. Remember that a healthy body is the result of mental health and self-care.