The Connection Between Fibromyalgia, Trauma and Negative Life Experiences.
Modern research shows that 80-90% of all illnesses are caused by stress. For women living with fibromyalgia, this is exciting news. This knowledge provides a whole new arena to explore and add to our toolbox of healing protocols as we rebuild our health.
The ACE Study
The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study conducted by Kaiser Permanente and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention demonstrated an association of adverse childhood experiences (childhood trauma) with health and social problems across the lifespan. In the study participants were asked about different types of childhood trauma that had been identified in earlier research including physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, exposure to domestic violence, household substance abuse, household mental illness, parental separation or divorce or an incarcerated household member. The ACE study found that:
1. Adverse childhood experiences are common
2. Adverse childhood experiences often occur together
3. Adverse childhood experiences have dose response relationship with many health problems. As researchers followed participants over time, they discovered that a persons cumulative ACEs score has a strong, graded relationship to numerous health, social, and behavioral problems.
4. About 2/3 of the individuals reported at least one adverse childhood experience and 87% of the individuals who reported on ACE reported at least one additional ACE.
Cognitive and neuroscience researchers have examined possible mechanisms that might explain the negative consequences of adverse childhood experiences on adult health. Adverse childhood experiences can alter the structural development of neural networks and the biochemistry of neuro-endocrine systems and may have long-term effects on the body, including speeding up the processes of disease and aging and compromising immune systems.
Stress is the Leading Cause of Illness
Modern research is showing that 80-90% of all illnesses are caused by stress. Stress can come from many places. The primary source of stress isn’t what is happening outside of us, but what is happening inside of us. In his book, The Biology of Belief by Bruce Lipton, PhD, reveals how negative memories residing in our sub and unconscious data banks are a primary source of stress. Identifying and resolving those hidden memories are an important component to rebuilding your health.
When we have a negative life experience, the memory of that experience lives on in our sub-conscious and unconsciousness data banks. If the memory has not been resolved satisfactorily, that memory constantly sends a stress message to your nervous system. When this happens, your nervous system is constantly gear up for protection, fight or flight. This leads to an imbalance in the nervous system.
The Nervous System
The nervous system is made up of the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic side, revs us up, gets us going, helps us to move effectively throughout the day. It also helps us to handle any unexpected stress. The parasympathetic side helps us to unwind, rest, relax and sleep. This down time allows our body to naturally detoxify, heal and regenerate.
When we have unresolved negative cellular memories, the sympathetic side of our nervous system is running all the time do to the ‘danger’ messages that the memory is transmitting. We are in constant fight or flight, waiting for the next ‘attack’ to happen. Our body does not get the rest, relaxation and sleep that we need to detoxify, heal and regenerate itself.
Importance of this for women with fibromyalgia
If you have fibromyalgia, chances you are have unresolved negative childhood memories. Sometimes these memories are apparent and obvious when we consider our childhood. Sometimes, they are more subtle. A negative memory can be stored as the result of how you interpreted an experience, even when abuse was not happening. We can even inherit negative cellular memories from our parents and ancestors.
While this may leave you feeling hopeless or helpless, rest assured that is not the case. There are natural holistic tools that can help you to identify and neutralize these memories. Mentally coming to terms with a negative childhood is important, but that does not necessarily neutralize the negative vibration of the cellular memory. There may still be work to do in the sub and unconscious to fully neutralize the memory and its impact on your nervous system.
If you feel stressed, pressured, overwhelmed, fatigued and cannot sleep, there is a good chance that you have some negative cellular memories that need to be addressed. Even with wonderful care of the body, until the cellular memories are neutralized you may very well still be struggling with your health.
Unraveling and neutralizing the matrix of memories, emotions and associated beliefs is challenging. In my own experience and in working with clients, I find that deep breathing is essential to consistent progress.
Sign up for my free mini course Connect to Calm, which provides a guided breath awareness experience to begin the process.
Coming next week.
Next week, I’ll be talking more about hidden negative experiences and their impact on your health from different perspectives including modern research and ancient traditions.
Until then, take a deep breath,
❤Bindu