“Thank you for trying to Protect me”

When our brain feels like there is danger, it sends a wash of stress hormones through our system, along with pain, as a way to get our attention so that we’ll take notice and take care. This can feel intense, even scary, and this that pulls us into a perpetual pain-fear cycle. The part of that cycle that we can consciously influence is the fear — the emotional and mental intensity that surrounds the symptoms. So when we are experiencing heightened pain, difficult symptoms, or anxiety, sometimes speaking to the biology of what’s happening can create some distance and relieve some of the intensity.

Next time you are experiencing a spike in your symptoms, try taking a step back and say these words to yourself:

“I know that my system is flooded with stress hormones as a way to protect me and warn me of perceived danger. Thank you, brain, for trying to protect me. I am steady now. I am okay. I am safe. I am taking good care of myself and I see what is going on. I now release this stress into the Earth (or water, wind, sun…) and invite my brain to wash me with hormones that help me feel safe, peaceful, and clear.”

It may feel funny or awkward to talk to yourself in the third-person, but give it a try! You may be surprised your system’s response. It WANTS to hear from you.