In our April forum we talked about having curiosity about the physical and medical aspects of our symptom experiences as well as how they are related to who we are. They are connected to where we are in our momentary lives, found in our feelings and dreams. Our body reacts to what we think and experience and nobody knows how that works.  Those parts of ourselves that we don’t know so well and that we marginalize as a away to fit in our society can come back as a symptom experience to remind us of our wholeness.

We worked with two people and the two symptoms explored were Hasimoto’s Thyroiditis and lack of sleep. In the forum we shared some of the issues around sleep.

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

The first symptom experience was Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. It is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks your thyroid.

There were two aspects to the symptom. One where the autoimmune system is oversensitive.  The other, where the low thyroid makes you slow and heavy. In her life she talked about being under pressure with changes in her life and being slow to respond to that. She was taking medication for the thyroid but it had no effect on her autoimmune system’s sensitivity to the thyroid tissues it destroys.

The autoimmune sensitivity was the area the person wanted to explore more. She made motions with her hands of the sensitivity, a very subtle feeling experience. Unfolding this hand movement led to a slow increasing irritation and frustration and then a desire for the other to join her to connect and engage. This led to a much more messy and random way of relating.

These two aspects played out in the persons process. Their sensitivity showed in holding back and being careful to not hurt one another. And there was a wrestling playful wild rough spirit that was looking to be matched.

She talked about her experience of being very careful when in relationships. The constraints of the conventional cultural ways of being a woman sometimes leading to the need to overwork to be seen as good as men and to be valued. Exploring how to be wild and playful and to be taken seriously in the world resonated with many in the group.

Lack of Sleep/Insomnia

The second we worked with shared his symptom experience of chronic lack of sleep. This was as a result of depression and anxiety and led to not sleeping for days on end. The most disturbing parts were not being able to regain a juice for life and mental clarity.

Here we tried to find out more about what was keeping the person awake. Something new wanted to be lived, and to be integrated into his life and work. This was not happening yet and there was a difficulty trusting in that. The issue included a need to move to a different city but not wanting to disrupt what he already had. This involved being supported in taking a risk and trusting intuition and inner knowledge.

At the end of the work we ended with a group process around sleep. Issues included how much sleep is needed and the diversity of sleep rhythms depending on lifestyles. Such as having to get up to go to work in the morning. Also mentioned was the pleasure of being awake to watch the sunrise and how sleep styles have changed over the years.

We so appreciate everyone who has taken the opportunity to work in the middle and everyone who has joined the forums for rich discussions of the social issues connected to symptoms.