I have a friend who is easily stressed, and when stressed, it goes to his head. I’ve known him for a decade, and this has always been the case. This is not uncommon, for many people get headaches when stressed, but in his case, it has reached an epic proportion. Usually, it is stress (as I have mentioned) married with dehydration. Two, three, four Advil later, he recovers, but the mood that caused it prevails. Eventually, the headache returns, more Advil is consumed, and the cycle perpetuates until the stress is somehow alleviated.
Let’s, for today, interest ourselves with solving the root of the problem (headache), not just silencing the symptoms, shall we? This means that recurring problems or symptoms, both physical and emotional, are not simply flukes: they are a sign of something deeper going on beneath the surface.
Anger is a quite effective pain-producer. I have found that points in my body prone to inflammation can immediately get set-off by the slightest provocation of this toxic emotion. So, a zillion milligrams of prescription-grade “medicines” later, I find that the most effective combatant is eliminating the source of anger, and developing a coping mechanism so the inflammation is not triggered in the first place. If you warp the wheel, it can no longer effectively keep turning. That’s what I mean when I say that we must get at the heart of the problem, not throw money, pills, or distractions at it.
Pharmaceutical industries make a mint off of quieting our symptoms. Obese? Easy: take this pill that makes you eliminate fat through your urine, but you can keep eating yourself to mask your emotional trauma. Heart too taxed to function properly? Ok: take this “medicine” daily, and remain inactive. Chronic lower back pain? No problem: forget strengthening the muscles that support your skeletal system. Take two of these until the pain subsides. So anxious that you can’t sleep? Here’s a prescription for the rest of your life. Never mind those side effects. Are you substituting one addiction for another? (Congrats on the recovery, but it seems to have been substituted with chronic eating, chronic exercise, chronic worry, chronic isolation, chronic proselytizing, etc.) Again, have we gotten to the root of the problem, or are we covering it up with something else? Does this solve the original problem, or just translate it into another form of obsession and addiction?
So…
What is causing the headache/heartache/constant worry/anxiety/insomnia/pain?
What can you do to change it?
Are you willing?
Are you interested?
Have you asked for help?
Do you love yourself enough to put forth the effort?
Some tough love questions tonight for the headaches life will inevitably throw our way. Don’t “take two of these,” but do take two minutes to excavate the foundation of what is causing the unease/disease. And please do "call me in the morning."
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