source: friend Emilee
Sarah Ramey is a fluid writer and so funny! My favorite memoir style to read and write. A soul sister with an amazing Musician Name: Wolf Larsen.
If you have a distressing but mysterious illness that remains undiagnosed. If you've ever gone to a doctor and said that you know something's wrong with you and had them look at you blankly stating that your bloodwork is fine and that you look fine and maybe you're just getting older... Then you discover that all of your symptoms align with adrenal and cortisol issues and you take sea salt and balance your blood sugar and fill hellava better and wonder why "doctors" don't give credence to this stuff... (true story) You will relate in some level to Sarah Ramey's tale.
I've had a number of female friends and some male friends and relatives over the years who came to mind as I was reading this. The friend who thought she had MS and then not. My sister in law diagnosed with fibromyalgia and then undiagnosed, who has suffered with chronic body pain for 8 years that remains undiagnosed despite a litany of unconventional and alternative practitioner visits. My brother, who thanks to some high quality care was able to figure out a diagnosis for Myasthenia Gravis. Many of my massage therapy clients who struggled with pain but knew not why.
This is not a formulaic self help book. It's a relatable tale that explores the complexity of health which involves the molecules of our cells and our unique psyches.
I love psychology so I was leaning into the sections that correlated certain personalities and health issues. The parallels resonate. Is it a coincidence that many of the women I know who have thyroid conditions are HSPs? (including myself) "Highly Sensitive People"
I'm fully convinced that pathological people pleasers internalize in their bodies the repercussions of the many ways they repress their spirits and mold their beings to conform to the pleasures of those around them or to avoid conflict which is anathema to porous sensitive types. To the extent in which these pin cushions (one of my favorite metaphors for how I feel about myself) learn how to take ownership of their lives, stop asking for approval or avoiding disapproval (more apt), the more they will be able to support their unique health journey.
Sarah references the Orchid Child theory. "derived from Swedish idiom orkidebarn is the theory that between 15-20 percent of any animal population is genetically more sensitive to the environment than the rest of their species." She does a short analysis of how introverts and artistic types while being more susceptible to harm and weakness are also more prone to produce beauty (orchid) when cultivated in the right environment with the right conditions.
There's a lot I could say about being an HSP. If you are one, you know what it's like to walk into a room and sense the emotions of everyone present. You know the feeling of having one harsh word or criticism demoralize you to the point of tears. As a young child, I found chastisement so profoundly painful that I made a vow to avoid it - even at great personal cost. These types of vows become deeply internalized habits of life. I became a master at reading authority figures and conforming to whatever they would expect. This kind of behavior is reinforced by constant praise and accolades from adults. I was led to believe that this type of behavior would somehow lead to my becoming a successful adult. I was a successful student but once I had left the fold of institutional education I was pretty clueless. There's lots of reasons for that that layer onto personality that are cultural and religious and genderous (my word) but that's another topic for another day.
The myth that success in school leads to success in life was always implied back in those days. Learning to conform to a group is a good life skill, but constantly squelching your own personality and desires does not lend itself to health, wellbeing, and successful adulting. My peers who acknowledged what they wanted even when it differed from what was touted, had better footing to launch into an adulthood where there is no parent or teacher who gives you a syllabus for life.
There's a lot I could say about HSP parenting and the pros and cons of a democratic parenting style where authority is held extremely tentatively. I could talk about gravitating to becoming an employee because it feels like the classroom - back where I was successful and approved of. I could mention the prolonged early adulthood years of crippling constipation which I believe stemmed from religious fanaticism and self-imposed repression, but you are spared this. (for now) referencing it is more than sufficient. The point is that personality and psychological state definitely affect our physical well being.
"I discovered a long essay Ane had written for her clients about the Minotaur's labyrinth of medical problems they might be facing as highly sensitive people. It was just like my map and Dr. Hyman's map. It was about dysbiosis, adrenals, inflammation, diet, sensitivity, stress, toxins, nutrients."
Some people feel righteous in their constant pursuit of the right physician or the right treatment. Hoping for a magic bullet that will make the pain go away. Sarah had to grow up and like all of us learn how to integrate authority with her own vision of life.
I'm thankful for her honest and courageous exploration.