Part 2 of 2 (Part 1)

by Mary J. Shomon

Tip 1: Carefully consider all sources of input into your life, and screen out those that may be draining your energy, or making you feel worse.

Anyone newly embarking on combining physical and psychological thyroid treatment should not be surprised to experience an initial exacerbation of symptoms, prior to stabilizing and fine-tuning. Many thyroid patients with longstanding histories have found they required a complete program for achieving optimal health, including nutritional advice, exercise coaching, and psychological counseling.

Tip 2: Emotions are a normal, healthy response to being diagnosed with any condition, including that of low thyroid, and most people will benefit from having support for resolution of these issues.

Some never get beyond this stage, but many proceed to acceptance, and to a sense of needing to empower themselves and others. An important overriding theme emerged in our recovery groups. All the members were all able to identify what seemed to be a similar disorder in their approach to life. They all felt "hyper-vigilant," guarded against the world and its stressors.

Another commonality they uncovered was that almost everyone in the groups described herself as hypersensitive, and feeling like the proverbial "canary in a coal mine." (Long ago, coal miners kept canaries in cages down in the mines because the birds were more sensitive to the deadly, but odorless, gases that would sometimes escape into a mine shaft. When the canaries died, that signaled the miners to evacuate immediately).

Modern day "canaries" are people who seem to be more sensitive than others to the hazards of modern life. Their resulting illness can serve as a warning to the population at large, signaling that impending environmental hazards are worsening. It is both a blessing and a curse to be the canaries for our society. Karilee chooses to consider it an honor to serve in such an important role. This is not to diminish the incredible hardships she must often face, however, in being so very sensitively attuned.

Tip 3: Often those with autoimmune thyroid are extremely sensitive people, perhaps reacting more quickly or strongly to an external threat that may eventually affect everyone.

On the other hand, however, they found that their overly watchful immune systems were, at times, protecting them from the wrong things, i.e. attacking their own tissues.

Those who are challenged in this particular way need to make better friends with themselves. They need to boost self-esteem while rebuilding their defenses into something more healthy and discriminating. And, they often need to practice self-forgiveness, as a regular mantra, in order to make room for more peace and harmony in their lives.

Remember, people with autoimmune challenges may be on "hyper-alert," and can benefit from rebuilding their defenses into something more healthy and discriminating.

Ideally, we might suggest that those challenged by this condition learn to regard the thyroid disease as an experience, a journey about "surrendering," and "opening up to the process". This stance allows for greater ease, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Tip 4: For many people with autoimmune thyroid, benefit may be derived from considering the meaning of "protection" and "rejection" in their lives.

In a very popular book from the early 1990's, Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Dr. Estes shares the story of "The Mistaken Zygote." This tale seems to describe how many of us similarly challenged may have felt about our family of origin.

In this ethnic folk tale, espousing a common theme in many cultures, a fertilized egg was supposed to be "delivered" to the home of a certain family, but the bird became confused and dropped it elsewhere. The individual grew up with a very different family, and felt puzzled and uncomfortable.

In Karilee's thyroid recovery groups, many of the participants felt that their own characteristics were not consistent with those of their family. They often didn’t fit into their family of origin well, and occasionally fantasized about having been adopted. Some considered that feeling like an outsider in their "clan" could have been a factor in the development or triggering of the tendency toward autoimmune thyroid.

Tip 5: Since the mind and body are intricately interconnected, for optimal recovery one must carefully guard one's thoughts, weeding out those which are immune- disruptive.

Another folk myth is "The Ugly Duckling" by Hans Christian Andersen. In this story the mother duck has one egg that takes too long to hatch. When it finally hatches, it is different, and the other ducks criticize him. He grows up teased, rejected and feeling unloved. Once mature, he sees his reflection to find that he is now a beautiful swan. No one recognized his true self until this time and he now comes to be honored and appreciated.

Almost all the group participants described an "ugly ducking" childhood where they didn't feel safe, or valued. Some had parents who were verbally abusive, and labeled them with derogatory words. A child, vulnerable and reliant on a parent, may learn a variety of coping responses as a result of this kind of treatment.

These often include not expressing one's inner feelings or truth, not feeling safe sharing oneself fully in the world, and not knowing how to relate in a healthy manner to others. All such behaviors undermine and attack the self.

Since many in the groups were tired so much of the time, they had to learn ways to conserve energy. They agreed on the need to limit "energy suckers," people who manipulated and drained their energies in order to feed their own needs. They had to learn to identify this type of interaction immediately when it occurred.

Here is how they did it. Most of them had such people in their lives: a nosy neighbor, an abusive or ineffectual boss, a child with temper tantrums, a widowed parent with learned helplessness, or a chatty friend with less demands and responsibilities.

They came to realize that these people behave in parasitic ways unconsciously, not necessarily intending to drain energy from others, but acting compulsively in a way they learned in their early life to get attention. Group members who were energetically deprived, however, could not afford to have energy-suckers feed off of them!

Tip 6: Certain people may impact your health in ways that are immuno-disruptive.

Once they learned to respect and honor themselves, group members learned how to define boundaries within a loving relationship. They found themselves redefining their needs and desires, identifying what they would and would not do, what they expected others to do, and how the family would reorganize itself around a democratic pattern rather than an autocratic one.

They empowered each other with the strength and courage to set these limits. They learned to find a balance, and to recognize when they lost it.

Tip 7: Setting boundaries and avoiding compulsive behaviors might be very significant ways to conserve energy when compromised.

Women shared unhealthy coping patterns they had developed, including other compulsive behaviors. One pattern was to overindulge, to do something (eat, spend, talk) compulsively, in an attempt to feel better, often justifying the behaviors by saying, "I deserve this," or "I need this in order to cope." In order to achieve a more positive sense of balance, these women learned to ask, "What do I really need?" rather than acting in a driven manner.

They slowed down their behavior, identified the difference between acting and reacting, and learned to identify triggers to their reactive behavior. They began to see that they were pushing to accomplish, to do, to create, to express, in order to avoid facing their own unpleasant feelings, including the feeling of exhaustion, deep inside.

Tip 8: Take some time to consider a positive mental image for your immune system that helps you to make the best decisions for your health. Research has clearly demonstrated the health connections between positive mental imagery and immune/health enhancement.

Tip 9: Anger management can be a key to stabilizing the thyroid and improving overall health.

The head and heart can often be at odds, as many of us find in our daily lives. However, thyroid-compromised individuals cannot afford to have needless battles. They must choose their battles wisely and expend energy cautiously and appropriately.

Tip 10: Learning to detach from negative behavior of family members can be immune-enhancing at times. In addition, clear communication can be particularly immune-enhancing.

Tip 11: People with low thyroid need to honor their own pace and abilities on a day-to-day basis, without judgement or comparison. Each day we are different, and if we can make allowances for this continual flux, others are likely to be more accepting as well.

Tip 12: Speak out, as part of your healing journey.

Consider the lessons from Rachel Carson in writing her passionate book, Silent Spring, (1962), which is still popular today. Pay attention to your body, your feelings and the data, and help your community to make the best decisions for the largest number of people to maintain health and wellbeing.

About.com June 2001

Part 1