What You're Thinking Right Now May Be Chipping Away At Your Health

Have you ever had a day where everything just seems to go wrong? You get a flat tire, were late to work, forgot your lunch, filed a report incorrectly, and it all culminated with you laying on your couch moaning in pain from a mind-numbing headache. “Don’t worry, I’m fine. It’s just a stress headache.” These type of headaches are considered tension headaches, and the root cause  is still up in the air. Doctors and scientist haven’t been able to pinpoint exactly why the pain occurs, but they have been able to pinpoint the exact locations (Mayo Clinic).
If you were to visit a holistic doctor or an apothecary they’d give you some pretty definitive opinions as to where that headache was stemming from – negative thoughts, that point right before stress sets in. Recently there has been more investigation whether negative emotions and thoughts directly correlate with physical pain. Negative emotions circulate through the body and can sometimes rear its angry head as a physical symptom, whether it’s outright pain, discomfort, or tension. Health coaches, therapists, and workout instructors are placing more credence in the theory that physical pain can sometimes be a manifestation of a negative thought or emotion that you’re ignoring. Developing tangible symptoms is your body’s only way to grab your attention and force you to deal with your physical and emotional state (Healthy and Natural World).
Louise Hay, an American motivational author, has written numerous self-help books aimed at guiding people through tough, mental journeys. In 1998, she penned “Heal Your Body A-Z: The Mental Causes for Physical Illness and the Way to Overcome Them,” which describes how physical maladies can be attributed to mental thoughts. Hay also designed an emotional pain chart where visuals were constructed to create a link between emotional and physical trauma. As time has progressed her newfangled idea has slowly gained momentum and manifested itself in the Centripetal Force Studio, where the practice of physiotherapy is utilized to the extreme. Physiotherapy is a therapy that uses physical touch as its main source of healing, whether it’s through massage, ultrasound, heat, or exercise. Centripetal Force Studio identifies emotional issues and physical issues, links them together, and ultimately provides the person in therapy insight into how these two aspects can affect physical health.
Emotional Pain Chart
The emotional pain chart presents mental thought patterns that form your experiences. Below are some common ailments that most of you have likely encountered:
-Neck Pain: This neck pain has been associated with individuals who are refusing to look at situations through a new perspective. Classic character traits are stubbornness and inflexibility.
-Shoulder Pain: This can be representative of your ability to carry emotional burdens in a negative way based upon your attitude. Shoulders can become tense and cramped from the overall unease and discomfort that you may be experiencing from daily struggles.
Knee Pain: Unyielding pride and an overzealous ego has been linked to knee pain. Fear, inflexibility to give in, and an inability to go with the flow are also common descriptors.
Weakness: A classic remedy to weakness is mental rest. On an hourly basis, your emotions are pulled a million different ways. Whether it’s irritation, excitement, or disappointment our emotions take a toll, and that’s why it’s important to give your mind a rest so your body can heal too.
If you take time to peruse the pain chart it may seem a little “new-agey,” but it makes sense. Why couldn’t your thoughts be affecting your physical health? Is it really that far of a stretch to assume that your irritability could cause that elbow or hip pain? The American Psychological Association (APA) has identified that stress affects physical health, but stress stems from day to day thoughts. So next time you’re tempted to mentally berate Her for wearing those shoes with that dress, or smugly pat yourself on the back for burning 500 calories at the gym, take pause. Those toxic thoughts are not only polluting your mind but quite possibly your everyday health (APA).