5 replies to this topic

[Trudy]

I have asthma, chronic bronchitis, and bronchiectasis, and I notice that memory triggers directly affect my condition. I have worked with a counselor in the past to work through abuse from a minister when I was a youth, and I've come a long way. But sometimes those memory triggers can pop up so suddenly and flood me with emotions that affect my breathing. It helps for me to talk myself through the feelings and try to focus my mind on today and how much God truly cares about me, regardless of those old tapes that say differently. How big a part does past abuse have on a person's lung disease? Is there a direct correlation between asthma and abuse?

[Dr. Sharma]

I am so sorry that you were abused. It makes me very angry and sad because no human being, let alone a child should ever be subjected to abuse. It is the most severe betrayal of trust!

Coming to your questions, my guess is that anxiety is the common determinator here. Abuse has been stored in the memory with anxiety combined with fear, shame and other negative emotions. Severity of asthma or COPD symptoms cause can cause severe anxiety. When the body and mind experience anxiety, the anxious memories are triggered.

It is an over simplified example, but I want to point out that the memory trigger is the anxiety caused by the present symptoms.

I send you best wishes so you can discover more and more of your inner stregth!

Vijai

[Trudy]

So do you mean that asthma/COPD symptoms create anxiety already, and the feeling of anxiety can stir up painful memories/triggers of past traumatic situations? Do I understand this correctly? So the more anxiety we have concerning our condition, the more triggers will be set off from the past? So it's the anxiety in our condition that we must work on in order to alleviate more memory triggers? So the triggers don't come first when something reminds us of the past which in effect worsens our breathing? I don't know if I'm making any sense here, but I'm trying to figure out what action to take.

[Trudy]

I forgot to mention - Thanks so much for your caring words, Dr. Sharma.

[Dr. Sharma]

Trudy

You have got it perfectly right! I couldn't have put it better myself!

Vijai

[Dr. Sharma]

Trudy

You have got it perfectly right! I couldn't have put it better myself!

You are very kind and thanks to you in return Trudy!

Vijai