Neuropathy And Your Behaviour

Today's post from neuropathydr.com (see link below) is another very sensible look at the effects of neuropathy on our daily lives, by neuropathy expert Dr. John Hayes Jr. It poses the question: does neuropathy affect behaviour and does behaviour affect neuropathy? Both seemingly obvious, if you think that chronic pain can affect someone's life but there's more to it than that. Following the link to his video 'Feeling Helpless' will expand the discussion. Just how does neuropathy affect your daily behavioural patterns? Probably more than you think!

How Behavior Affects Neuropathy
Posted by john on September 1, 2016

“Does My Behavior Affect My Neuropathy?”

“Wow. You mean how I act around my family, and even my health care professionals has an impact on my peace of mind, my health and maybe even my neuropathy treatment?”

In a word, yes! This may be a very difficult discussion for some, but a very important one. In the clinic, we call this “illness behavior”.

Lets break it down. When you were a little kid, you likely got those scrapes from falling down, or maybe the assault from a bully, or even something worse. Just like me you learned that being “sick” certainly brings more attention to us. And in an emergency, rightly so!

But NOT letting the correct people know you need help in a crisis is just as bad!

Problems arise when we carry these inappropriate learned behaviors from childhood over into adulthood. Often it begins subconsciously. Being diagnosed with a new health problem, like peripheral neuropathy, having a genetic disease or major accident is life changing.

These all require a period of time to uncover real choices, treatment options, etc. And in neuropathy treatments especially this is true now more than ever as more and more neuropathy claims are being made.

Here’s my point. When we display illness behaviors, the biggest negative effect is on ourselves! If we tell our subconscious mind how sick we are, what do we get? More sickness!

This in no way demeans anyone suffering from a serious or life threatening disease. But plenty of studies even involving really sick patients tell us as neuropathy treatment specialists that when you have a healthier outlook, and a healthy set of behaviors to match, the greater the chance we have at doing really well with your treatment success!

We also know that our attitudes and behaviors affect our immune systems, our sleep, and yes even our aging process.

We also know that even in really severe illness, our behaviors have a huge impact.

If you’d like another perspective, watch at the link below as I talk for 3 minutes about the theory of learned helplessness…

Feeling Helpless?

And the most difficult but important behavior of all?

Asking for professional and spiritual guidance, or in a word: acceptance.

For more information on coping with neuropathy, get your Free E-Book and subscription to the Weekly Ezine “Beating Neuropathy” at http://neuropathydr.com.

 http://neuropathydr.com/behavior-and-neuropathy/