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Copyright © 1997, Jay Ligda.  All rights reserved.  Published by Humans in the Universe and Jay Ligda.

Feelings and the Immune System

      When feelings are not acted upon and they get "stuffed" inside they lead to disease.  This happens when a rule or belief system, for whatever reason, labels that feeling inappropriate and therefore, inappropriate to act upon.  John Bradshaw refers to this as dysfunction.  In the field of holistic health it is called a mind-body split-the mind is doing one thing while the body, for its survival, needs to be doing something else.  Let's take a closer look at what is happening within the body during a mind-body split.

      Feelings are the experience of chemical messengers sent from the brain throughout the body to trigger some kind of action in muscle tissue to return the soma to a state of homeostasis.  If we hold back and don't act on our feelings, what becomes of the chemical messengers?  We never return to a state of homeostasis, the chemical messengers never complete their task, and the feelings become chronic.

      Researchers have discovered that these chemical messengers also bind to various parts of the immune system.  What does this mean?  Our immune system "feels" the same feelings we do and is most likely affected by them.  If we are chronically angry, sad, afraid, depressed, or shamed, our immune system is going to experience that feeling in some manner and have a reaction to it.

      Another way that "stuffing feelings" affects our health is by increasing free radical activity.  Stress leads to free radicals, and chronic stress leads to chronic free radicals.

by Jay Ligda

(This work is a all or part of an original work first published/written for East Bay Nation of Men newsletter., Feb1997.)


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References

  • Bradshaw, J. (1988).  The Family:  A Revolutionary Way of Self-Discovery.  Deerfield Beach, FL:  Health Communications.
  • Chopra, D. (1989).  Quantum Healing:  Exploring the Frontiers of Mind/Body Medicine.  New York, NY:  Bantam.
  • Pert, C. (1980).  "The Wisdom of the Receptors:  Neuropeptides, the Emotions, and Body-Mind." Ch. 13 in R. Ornstien & C. Swencionis (Eds) The Healing Brain. pp. 147-158.  New York, NY:  Guilford.

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