Let’s talk science for a moment. Proven fact: every emotion solicits hormones and neurotransmitters to evoke a host of chemical actions. The blood fills with these “chemical feelings” and every cell in the body “reads” the chemical message to determine their course of action.
Of course, the cells cannot extrapolate one kind of fear from another. The chemicals don’t tell them whether a predatory animal is attacking or whether there isn’t enough money in the bank to cover the mortgage payment. The message is the same. On the level of biochemical interaction, so is the response in the body.
And it’s a good response. It’s kept our species alive through the ages. It’s an appropriate response to a life-threatening situation. However, when anxiety/fear becomes an emotional norm–when angst of one form or another is the steady stream of chemicals flowing through our blood to direct cellular activity–then our bodies never get the opportunity to restore and regenerate. Never feel safe to take care of their needs. Inevitably, dis-ease results. Continue reading “Loving Our Bodies Means Feeling Safe”
