Why I need to know why I'm sick
To name something makes it real by giving it identity. (Learned that from several fiction-fantasy novels.) Perhaps saying "I don't know what's causing your symptoms" is like saying "there's nothing wrong with you." Not understanding why you feel the way you feel, and not being able to identify what is causing you to feel the way you feel is very uncomfortable for most people. Hence, our current epidemic of diagnosis' of exclusion. Cause and effect is an easy concept for us to accept and understand. It is obvious that the scientific application of medicine often falls well short in reliably assigning cause and effect to explain the diagnosis and cure of much of what ails us. We want answers, and alternative medicine, like astrology, does not have a problem in coming up with causes and effects.
There are a couple other reasons why I think people turn to so called CAM.
We are told we are sick, could be sick, or are otherwise in less than optimal health. This traditional ploy of the supplement industry (take any on-line health evaluation test) is more and more prevalent in the over-the-counter and prescription drug industries, and is creeping into a growing fad of the preventive health industry.
We also feel we have the right to good health. It is not fair or right that I am sick, may become sick, or am in any way disabled, and someone should be doing something about it.
Health is an obsession in our society. I have friends that cannot speak two sentences in conversation without mentioning one of their own chronic maladies. We all know people who at any opportunity proudly recite their (or a family members) medical history.
To the many who seem to unreasonably fixate on health and wellness I would say: Find religion, find a hobby, join a book club, buy a new puppy. I'm not suggesting that "there is nothing wrong with you," or to ignore your health and not attempt to control symptoms or chronic disease. I'm only suggesting there is too much happiness to be found in life, even when health problems seem to impact even every minute of it.
There are a couple other reasons why I think people turn to so called CAM.
We are told we are sick, could be sick, or are otherwise in less than optimal health. This traditional ploy of the supplement industry (take any on-line health evaluation test) is more and more prevalent in the over-the-counter and prescription drug industries, and is creeping into a growing fad of the preventive health industry.
We also feel we have the right to good health. It is not fair or right that I am sick, may become sick, or am in any way disabled, and someone should be doing something about it.
Health is an obsession in our society. I have friends that cannot speak two sentences in conversation without mentioning one of their own chronic maladies. We all know people who at any opportunity proudly recite their (or a family members) medical history.
To the many who seem to unreasonably fixate on health and wellness I would say: Find religion, find a hobby, join a book club, buy a new puppy. I'm not suggesting that "there is nothing wrong with you," or to ignore your health and not attempt to control symptoms or chronic disease. I'm only suggesting there is too much happiness to be found in life, even when health problems seem to impact even every minute of it.
posted by nawledge at
7:15 PM
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