Our bodies can produce a lot of weird sensations. Whether
your eyes are blurry, your ears are popping, your hand is tingling, or you feel
some “zips” in your head, every so often all of us feel something a bit strange. To most people, they’re just a passing curiosity.
To anxious people, however, they can be alarming.
We obsess over what these sensations could mean. Imminent
health issues? Life-threatening tumors? We jump to conclusions with little
evidence. Of course, any prolonged symptom should receive medical evaluation.
Yet even if we are reassured everything is fine by trained experts, we continue
to worry. The fear can become overwhelming. Just the thought of the symptoms
can produce the symptoms themselves!
Dr. Low and Recovery remind us that feelings and sensations
cannot be controlled, but thoughts and impulses can be. This is sage advice
when dealing with symptoms that are distressing, but not dangerous (if told so,
of course, by a medical professional).
For example, sometimes I have strong tingling sensations in
my right foot. This occurs usually when I’m stressed for one reason or another.
I then focus on the sensation, annoyed at its occurrence, fearful of what it
could mean, and thereby intensifying the symptom. I become panicky, as not only
does my foot tingle but my breathing becomes shallow and my thoughts reel. This
can happen dozens of times in a week.
Yet I’ve found relief by simply acknowledging that, hey, I
have a little distressing sensation, and I know that there’s nothing physically
wrong. It will pass. Feelings are not facts, and this distressing—but again,
not dangerous—sensation will pass. And it always does, usually when I focus on
something else and forget about it.
Medical experts continually expound on TV that we shouldn't ignore our bodies. If you think something is wrong, definitely see a doctor, or two if necessary. But when trained mental health and physical health professionals reassure us that nothing is physically wrong, we need not feel ashamed or embarrassed. Indeed, why not feel overjoyed? Dr. Low and Recovery tell us that thoughts and impulses can indeed be controlled, and over time by not giving power to distressing, but not dangerous, symptoms they will fade away on their own.
