The Emotional Causes of Shingles and Helpful Self-Care Practices

Feelings of dread or anxiety can actually contribute to shingles — but with this knowledge, prevention is also possible

—

Do you know someone who has suffered with shingles? Aside from knowing that this is a painful ailment, what exactly are shingles?

Shingles are a painful viral infection and blisters along the nerves. Shingles occurs when the virus that causes chickenpox starts up again in your body. After you get better from chickenpox, the virus ‘sleeps’ (is dormant) in your nerve roots. In some people, it stays dormant forever. In others, the virus “’wakes up’ when disease, stress, or aging weakens the immune system. Some medicines may trigger the virus to wake up and cause a shingles rash. It is not clear why this happens. But after the virus becomes active again, it can only cause shingles, not chickenpox. (www.webmd.com)

But why could this happen? Let me suggest that a ‘waiting for the other shoe to drop’ negative thought pattern may be linked to developing shingles. Sounds impossible? Not really. Here’s what another health-related website says:

Thought generates complex combinations of biochemicals which, in turn, stimulate a variety of receptors that create a change in your body structure. An understanding of how to have a healthy diet of thoughts and beliefs can have a great impact on your health. We are all educated to eat well, yet little consideration is given to how your thought diet might be affecting your health. (Wellbeing.com)

To explore this idea, ask someone who has shingles this question: “Is there anything in your life you’ve been dreading?” Constantly ‘waiting for the other shoe to drop’ may cause an unhealthy diet of thoughts and beliefs that ends up compromising your immune system. The result? It ‘wakes up’ the chickenpox virus—shingles—complete with its symptoms of blisters and nerve inflammation.

The underlying emotional component of a virus is feeling hopeless and helpless. The emotional component of blisters is indicated when someone is resisting the flow of life, dreading a situation because it feels like no emotional protection is available. Those thoughts show up as emotional eruptions on the body — blisters. The emotional component of nerve inflammation is referred to as an agitated irritation, something that happens when people feel like they’re continually subjected to tension-inducing stimulation. The stress frustrates them; they feel powerless and undermined because of it.

This all ties back to the thought pattern behind contracting shingles—namely, a generalized dread about a situation needing to be faced. Those affected may experience so much anxiety that they end up laboring under the veil of fear. In many cases, they have been pounded helplessly by lifestyle factors endured in their families growing up. The result is they tend to dwell on negative thoughts, frequently fearing that the next shoe will drop. Chances are they have a deep need for nurturance, protection, and affection. In the meantime, they probably experience anger or frustration, as well as blisters and nerve inflammation.

What If You Have Shingles?

If you have shingles, is your only choice to let it run its course? No. Using the Modus Operandi (MO) Technique, you can get in touch with your deep feelings about the situation you may be dreading. Then you can release it out of cellular memory, thus reducing the time needed to recover from this disease.

Knowing the emotional component of shingles can also help prevent it. For example, if I’m dreading something coming up, I know it’s better to face my feelings about it now rather than ‘wait for the other shoe to drop’. Specifically, I choose to release the emotional components from my cellular memory and deal with the situation. That way, I don’t compromise my immune system.

Dealing with situations right away also helps maintain your personal power — another way to keep your immune system strong and healthy. And when you do, you’ll feel markedly better.

Because like attracts like, the energy you are aligns with the energy you attract. So what would you attract if you knew at your core you could solve the emotional problem that’s causing your anxiety? You wouldn’t expect that shoe to drop at all! Instead, you’d live with hope, knowing that there’s help available to you now.

---

Disclaimer: Although this article depicts the “emotional component” or “thought pattern” of Shingles, I believe in a balanced approach to healing all ailments. Because the emotional component isn’t as readily available as traditional remedies, traditional remedies and treatments are not addressed in this article. The psychological meaning of the symptoms, conditions and disease presented in this article are from Messages From The Body: Their Psychological Meaning by Michael J. Lincoln Ph.D. used with his permission. Dr. Lincoln’s website is talkinghearts.net.

>If you’re suffering from shingles or any symptom, condition or disease and want release using the MO Technique, contact Maureen at maureenminnehanjones.com

---

You may also enjoy Podcast: Dr. Kelly Brogan | Your Body, Your Choice: Confessions of a Female Doctor with Kristen Noel