You Are the Placebo: Making Your Mind Matter
Download 5.46 Mb. View original pdf
|
| Candace Pays the Piper In November 2010, Candace finally saw a medical doctor, who diagnosed her with Hashimoto’s disease (also referred to as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis), an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the thyroid gland. The condition is marked by hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) with occasional bouts of hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid. Symptoms of Hashimoto’s include weight gain, depression, mania, sensitivity to heat and cold, numbness, chronic fatigue, panic attacks, abnormal heart rate, high cholesterol, low blood sugar, constipation, migraines, muscle weakness, joint stiffness, cramps, memory loss, vision problems, infertility, and hair loss—many of which Candace was experiencing. During the consultation, the endocrinologist told Candace that her condition was genetic and she could do nothing about it. She would have Hashimoto’s for the rest of her life and would need to take thyroid medication indefinitely, because her antibody count would never change. Although Candace discovered later that she actually had no family history of this illness, the die seemed cast. Having an actual diagnosis gave Candace the unexpected gift of awareness. She’d clearly needed a wake-up call, and this was it. The physical breakdown of her body had caused her tore ect on her past and really seethe truth of who she was being. It dawned on her that she was single-handedly responsible for creating an autoimmune illness that was slowly destroying her physically, emotionally, and mentally. She was living a life in constant-emergency fashion. All of her body’s energy was going toward keeping her safe in her external environment, and no energy was left for her internal environment. Her immune system couldn’t manage itself any longer. Despite the gut-wrenching fear of change and of the unfamiliar, Candace finally chose to leave the relationship five months later. She fully understood that the relationship had been unhealthy and not served her. She asked herself, What’s the trade-off? Stay in the dysfunction and 208 propel myself deeper into darkness Or choose freedom and possibility This is my chance fora new and different life. Candace’s adversity became the genesis for her personal evolution, self- reflection, and expansion. She found herself standing on the edge of the cliff, wanting to leap into the unknown. Her decision to jump and to change became a passionate experience. So jump she did, into what she saw as endless possibilities and potentials, compelled by a desire tonally stop doing what was no longer loving to her so that she could rewrite her biological code. This was a turning point in Candace’s life. She’d read my two previous books and been to one of my beginning workshops, so she knew that if she embraced her diagnosis and the emotions of fear, worry, anxiety, and sadness it inspired, she would be autosuggesting and believing only in thoughts equal to those feelings. She could try to think positively, but her body was feeling bad, so that would have real consequences. Making that choice would be the wrong placebo, the wrong state of being. So Candace chose instead not to accept her illness. She respectfully declined the physician’s diagnosis, reminding herself that the mind that creates illness is the same mind that creates wellness. She knew she had to change her beliefs about the condition given to her by the medical community. Candace chose not to be suggestible to her doctor’s advice and opinions, because she wasn’t fearful, victimized, or sad. In fact, she was optimistic and enthusiastic, and those emotions drove anew set of thoughts that allowed her to see anew possibility. She didn’t accept her diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment believe hastily in the most probable outcome or future destiny or permanently surrender to the diagnosis or treatment plan. She didn’t condition her body to that future worst-case scenario, expect the same predictable outcome that everyone else did, or assign the same meaning that everyone else with the condition did. She had a different attitude, so she was now in a different state of being. Download 5.46 Mb. Share with your friends:
|