The Mystery of Illness

The illness known as 'ME' * or any other illness is still in many ways baff1ing the world let alone our doctors. We al1 cry out, “I am ill." "I cannot cope with the stresses of life," yet we do not know why. Of course, there are always horrible and very real symptoms we can demonstrate to the Medical Teams!

Thankfully, most of the time a medication, manipulation or an operation will resolve the dis-eases. The puzzle arises when all the current chemical, manipulative or technological advances, (including pills, potions, exercise, relaxation,) and holiday have been exhausted…

Imagine having a two-week break from what you have come to understand as the stress in your life - 'Work'.

Having returned from the best holiday of your life - you have laughed your sides off (so you must have been relaxing). Lazed in the sun, (must be relaxing), pursued all of your interests, (must be relaxing). You return to work: - Monday morning midday, three hours have passed, one hour to lunch.... There you are as tired, lethargic as that Friday afternoon before the holiday, blaming now the tiredness on the forward preparation thereby enabling you to take the well-deserved break, free of any unresolved work.

Puzzled? or is it confirmation, it is the job. "I must get out of this place," your mind proclaims. Why should these feelings return so quickly after such a wonderful break? A "tonic" that is what I need. Feeling run down you take yourself to the Doctors.

The Doctor, wonderful and understanding as he/she is, after perhaps three months or so with little or no improvement, metaphorically throws his hands in the air and says "I do not have the answer," whilst perhaps a phrase or quotation goes through his mind, "Tiredness, unspecified ill health."

With the passing of time, soon forgotten is the tonic, as is the conversation with the doctor. The tiredness comes and goes, insidiously replaced by a cold or summer flu, frequently reoccurring and takes simply ages to leave you.  Is this a similar pattern we all recognize at some time in our lives?

Three to six years or even more pass and seemingly unconnected, new symptoms appear. 'Is it as simple as that?' One symptom or a collection: Chest pains, dizziness, headache, back pain, sore joints, muscle, bowel and bladder dysfunction, uncomfortable throat and chronic fatigue - all of which we fail to link with earlier disorders and discomforts. This list from the FT dated Six October 1996... was taken from a report published in the same week by Britain’s medical establishment and three Royal colleges of Physicians as well as General Practitioners.

Pesticides, depression, virus, bugs, all are blamed on the insidious progression of   ' ME. *  "It is all in the mind," say Practitioners at the end of their tether, as they have neither the answers nor treatments to offer their patient's. The Patient retorts back it is not in my mind, it is in my body. Neither of them are correct?

The term 'All in the mind' has become a modern day icon - almost always said in a patronizing manner that can and does, make any person feel depressed. It is this attitude that causes people to withdraw into their shell, afraid to pursue their illness any further. Many create support groups with a rightful desire and need to force the awareness of government and public .

Clearly, what is needed is a different understanding, not only of 'ME' but the real cause of all illnesses, we have for to long been shrouded by the mysteries of illness.

Did Freud, in his infinite wisdom, fail to see the significance of his principle; 'The mind pursues pleasure and avoids displeasure at all costs.' His perception of the very wisdom that created this now age-old philosophy was, perhaps, at the very least incomplete if not incorrect. 'Fun, good health and enjoyment of life are our rights! Not  gifts'. Did he rescind the use of Hypnosis due to his own personal or professional reasons or peer pressure?

Was Darwin's theory more environmentally friendly or did peer pressure stop him, either finding fear created evolutionary change or publishing the truth as he really felt it to be, and was.

The man who mesmerized trees (Anton Mesmer) and bathed people in iron filings was banned from practicing his seemingly bizarre method of treatment by the Church and the men that professed they had a greater degree of knowledge proclaiming his actions, as dangerous and of no value in the treatment of people who had illnesses, the medical profession of the time could not cure. On the other hand, was it the fear within them or the fear of losing their valued position in the community?

Let us first examine Freud's principle "Pursue pleasure and avoid displeasure at all costs," change his perception and consider that 'Illness' is the pursuit of pleasure. 'Displeasure' is the avoidance of the original cause (traumatic incident). Can we, do we, ever, truly put down life's traumas and continue our life unaffected or do we remember them on a painful daily basis. Illness is a process of the mind, not “All in the mind” expressed as a weakness.

Picture an inverted pyramid: the point where contact is made on the ground representing the time and place that a trauma took place, the remainder (Further traumas or reaction to Trauma) built up level by level, two or three levels from the bottom a membrane is created, rather like a damp course in a building. Imagine the enormous pressure brought to bear on the lower point or the ground beneath.

Change now the part beneath the membrane to represent a trauma that family pressures can place on a young person, with the instructions “Put it to the back of your mind, it will be safe there," (it is never safe there) change the membrane to the cross over between the conscious and sub-conscious mind, allow time to seemingly fade or destroy the memory. Feel the pressure on the contact point. Consider the damaging effects our now out of control body chemicals have in the safe running of our mind and body.  Add much later during illness and treatments, “You have got to move on.” If we could move on, do we really think we would have to be told to?

If a comparison can be made, then Darwin's theory becomes a little easier to understand and we then question, is there such thing as 'per chance' in his theory of evolution or is it the weak who create genetic change, surely the strong have no need to change?

In addition, how much, if at all does fear or anxiety cause genetic change, first in the mind of the mother or the father in turn altering the hormonal/chemical secretions throughout the body, changing the RNA (Building blocks of DNA) in the genetic message (DNA) contained in the egg and sperm, result - faulty genes. If this is true, are faulty genes really an error?…

Do we ever make a mistake in anything we do - or is it merely the right thing to do at the time? Only later with the benefit of hindsight do we, wish we had done that better. Leaving us with the feeling "I do not want to go through that again." Now where have we heard those words before?.....

Five items for further consideration within this new revelation.

1. Is there such a thing as a habit: - Smoking. Drinking. Drugs. Allergies  etc?.....

2. Are there really withdrawal symptoms from Drugs, Alcohol, etc?

3.  Senile Dementia and Alzheimer are they 'really' illnesses of old age? if not -

Can they be treated before the destructive strength of time and inappropriate medical applications take hold?

4. Are there accidents or purposeful incidents of subconscious desire/acts?

5. Is 'Obesity' really just a result of what we eat?

6. Is HIV/AID’s really the killer it is made out to be, or is it just a collection of symptoms set out to defy all but those intuitive enough to see through the cloak. Or do we all, when suffering pain/illness with multiple symptoms have, AID, An acquired immune deficiency, as distinct from syndrome.

How many other icons can be added to this list?

Take Freud, Darwin, the Geneticist’s, these six-addendum's. Put them in the melting pot with one contrary or lateral mind - mine - that looks at things differently and yet still has the same life’s prejudices to deal with, 'the mystery of illness is then solved'. It is the traumas of life that create the very illnesses without a cure! or do we really want them cured?

Teach us humans from this equation a new way of running our life, then in the passage of time perhaps illness can be eradicated or at the very least considered a complete waste of energy, as well as strength, and not in the least a weakness. Consider the mental as well as physical strength and energy that a person with Visible Physical Disability uses to walk, compared to what a 'normal' fit person would use? Apart for the protestations (IE Limping, complaining) we make, many diseases cannot be seen. So remain a part of the mystery of life/illness. I Wonder WHY…

* Addendum. July 29^th 2002. Change ME or add CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and include FIBROMYALGIA.

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