diagnoses
A diagnosis can be a huge relief if it helps you understand what’s going on with you. It can play an important role in a process of realization and help you acknowledge your own experiences: There’s a reason why I am the way I am.
An accurate diagnosis can help identify the necessary steps toward recovery.
Diagnoses can be valuable as part of a realization process.
But a diagnosis can also be hurtful if a person is defined by others based on their diagnosis, or if they identify themselves with it. Diagnoses can be stigmatizing.
If a diagnosis only describes certain symptoms but does not include the cause, it can become a burden for affected people.
In his book "Healing the Soul Wound," Eduardo Duran describes diagnosis as a naming ceremony. The symptom becomes the person's identity.
Eduardo Duran is of Indigenous descent and has worked as a psychologist in Indigenous communities, primarily in the United States, where he has challenged Western dogmas. He views Western labels and diagnoses as yet another form of postcolonial oppression. The diagnosis is part of the system that caused the initial trauma and continues to perpetuate this injury.
His approach, shaped by traditional culture, resembles the philosophy I use in my therapeutic work. He assumes that every symptom has a “spirit” or is a spirit. This applies, for example, to depression (the spirit of sadness), alcoholism, or aggression — or any other symptom. The goal is to engage in a respectful dialogue with the spirit and understand why it is there, what it wants, or what it needs.
Just like him, I too want to help people establish a compassionate connection to all aspects of themselves—including those parts that carry symptomatic burdens. It is essential to understand that a person is not their symptom and that every aspect of a person has come into being for a good reason. A non-judgmental attitude toward symptoms is essential. We want to find ways to cooperate, not to fight against something.
A form of victim blaming?
A diagnosis always involves a distinction between healthy and sick, right and wrong, normal and different. It implies that there is a problem that needs to be fixed, that needs to be normalized.
Healing, as I understand it, doesn’t always mean that a symptom disappears, but rather that a sense of harmony emerges in which we feel whole and can love every aspect of our being. This is, of course, an ideal—and a lifelong, personal journey. But we can practice this fundamental attitude together.
A symptom may become unnecessary once the underlying issue is identified and can be addressed in a different way. These are highly creative, personalized, and inspiring processes.
If, on the other hand, one attempts to combat a symptom without acknowledging the underlying motivation, that fundamental motivation will have to find other ways to satisfy its need. This can lead to a shift in symptoms.
Above all, it will reinforce the person’s feeling that something is wrong with them. After all, part of them must be fought against. Like Eduardo Duran, I also see this as a form of violence that is part of the system that caused the initial injury.
a complex system
Every human being is a complex ecosystem in which everything works together. One problem with diagnoses is that they often identify only individual symptoms, while the bigger picture and the underlying causes go unrecognized. Current research shows, for example, that our gut health is essential for keeping our brain and our entire body healthy in the long term. Many chronic diseases are rooted in issues within the digestive tract. At the same time, many symptoms of chronic illnesses (including neurological and mental health conditions) can improve when we strengthen our gut health and build a healthy, diverse microbiome.
It has long been known that people who were exposed to early trauma are at increased risk for all kinds of illnesses. (See the well-known ACE study...)
If a healthy gut microbiome and bowel function are the foundation of overall health, and people who experienced early trauma are at increased risk of disease, the question is: How is chronic, traumatic stress linked to our gut health?
Chronic survival stress makes us sick
The vagus nerve forms an important connection between the gut and the brain and also plays a vital role in our autonomic nervous system. When the gut is unhealthy, this can have a direct impact on the brain and lead to both neurological and mental health conditions. As part of our autonomic nervous system, the vagus nerve also plays a crucial role in regulating stress.
Among other things, the autonomic nervous system controls our automatic stress responses when it perceives danger. Our bodies are designed to cope with short-term danger. In the face of an acute threat, our autonomic survival responses ensure that other functions take a back seat, either to mobilize energy for fight or flight, or to conserve energy and appear as still as possible in a hopeless situation. In survival mode, there is only limited capacity for metabolism and regeneration. The body is designed so that, once the threat has passed, we can return to a safe state and regenerate.
However, if a child’s home does not provide a safe space, the nervous system cannot regulate itself adequately. The body and mind cannot regenerate sufficiently. Essential emotional and physical processing cannot take place. Chronic stress leads to chronic illness.
For a young person whose nervous system is still developing, it is especially important to feel safe — not just physically, but emotionally as well. This requires that we experience appreciation, genuine interest in who we are, care, and trust. Our needs must be recognized and taken seriously. If these elements are consistently absent, the nervous system fails to learn how to regulate itself. It only learns to recognize stress, deprivation, or threat. This leads to a chronically dysregulated nervous system and, consequently, to a body (including the brain) that is deprived of what it needs.
chronic stress =
the body cannot metabolize properly
impaired metabolism =
not enough nutrients are absorbed, and toxins are not eliminated
nutrient deficiency =
essential neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, etc.) are not produced in sufficient quantities.
toxins in the body =
inflammation (including in the brain) and autoimmune diseases can occur.
chronic inflammation =
regenerative processes are hindered, symptoms arise
inflammation in the brain =
damage to synapses, impairment of mental and cognitive function
chronic traumatic stress =
long-term: physical, psychological, and cognitive symptoms
This inadequate supply can lead to typical, so-called comorbid disorders, such as mood symptoms or anxiety symptoms. Physical complaints can also arise as a result of traumatic stress. Unfortunately, an underlying (attachment) trauma often goes unrecognized, so that affected individuals find no real relief from a mere diagnosis of the resulting symptoms (for example, a diagnosis of depression or anxiety disorder), because the underlying causes are not being treated.
neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity means that our brain continues to develop, that it is adaptable and capable of regenerating.
We are here to learn: we can set out to find what has been missing so far. The human organism is ready to learn and to heal. In this process, physical and emotional processes go hand in hand, and sometimes it is necessary to care for the body in addition to psychotherapy.
We can achieve an incredible amount with a healthy, fiber-rich diet, because it gives our body the foundation it needs to rebuild healthy gut flora—which serves as the basis for other bodily processes. Our mental state also depends on our gut health, because the production of hormones, neurotransmitters, and other important substances is impaired when our gut cannot function properly.
If the stress is chronic, it may be helpful to start by taking certain supplements to provide the body with the necessary nutrients so that integrative processes can take place and the capacity for trauma processing can develop. This should be assessed and supervised by a qualified professional (such as a doctor or naturopath).
At the same time, it is essential to gradually discover and embrace a sense of security and connection. We can learn to regulate our nervous system and incorporate important periods of restoration into our daily lives. In this way, we give our bodies and souls the space they need for healing. Resource-oriented work is designed to achieve precisely this.
We need a safe space to process trauma-related material. So in therapy, we search for what feels safe, what feels good. This, in turn, is a very personal process.
If we haven’t experienced enough of a sense of connection and security from the very beginning, it can initially feel threatening to adopt a more relaxed attitude. Only with a great deal of respect and sensitivity can we figure out how much connection is beneficial and when. And bit by bit, we can relearn what was missing.
Our entire organism is geared toward healing. This is a process in which we trust the wisdom of the system as a whole and find our own individual path.
healing with a tree
private practice for resource-oriented trauma therapy & psychotherapy
telephone:
+49 163 7041163
email:
mail@healingwithatree.com
address:
Marienburger Straße 5a
10405 Berlin, Prenzlauer Berg