Health… And Safety
So I think I’ve had something of a revelation about the link between health and safety. Not of the high viz and hard hat variety, but of the absolutely fundamental connection between our bodies’ perception of safety and our ability to recover and heal. Or even just to be well.
A few months ago, I managed to overcome the crippling headaches by using the app called Curable. By drawing on pain reprocessing therapy, the widely accepted neuroscience of pain, the premise is really quite simple; explore your pain from a place of safety and your body learns that in fact you are safe and that the pain signals are no longer required. Goodbye headaches. Sounds bonkers I know but it’s totally genius. We will explore what ‘a place of safety’ means in a minute. It’s way more than just the absence of danger.
I’ve reflected on the times we’ve been on holiday and I almost instantly feel so much better – more energy, fewer headaches, less tired. Why is that?
And the times I have been very unwell but somehow miraculously managed to attend a family event, join a social gathering or even go to the theatre in central London. Why is it that I can do those things but can find a trip to the local shop overwhelming? Am I being selectively unwell? Is it all in my head?
Why was it, when I finally realised that I had a traumatic brain injury, in the grip of fear and overwhelm the symptoms got worse? Everything got worse. In my head, yes, but also in my body. Very, totally real. Same with the relapses: Oh no, I’m getting worse, help…
We know what it feels like in our bodies when we feel unsafe – pounding heart sweaty palms, shallow breathing and that panicky sick feeling. The stress reaction is a physiological response marked by the release of hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. Our nervous system is flooded with safety alerts, survival is the priority. The rest has to wait.
So, conversely, how does our body know when we’re safe? Again, we know that breathing deeply calms the nervous system, looking with a steady gaze rather than a sharp frowny focus, going for a walk in nature, relaxing and doing things like laughing, hugging, experiencing human touch and listening to music. These things, and many more, constitute a place of safety. Available to us all for free, any time, yet in stark contrast to much of our frantic everyday lives.
Physiological response? The release of hormones like endorphins, serotonin, oxytocin and dopamine. These aren’t just a ‘nice to have’ but are totally fundamental to the body then being able to prioritise healing, repair, restoration. Digestion improves. Energy increases. Mental clarity is restored. Libido returns. Jeez now there’s a reason to take note!
It all makes sense and seems so obvious, but we struggle to join the dots. If it’s all in your head, it’s all in your body. We’re joined at the neck. A few months ago, I started saying these three little phrases to myself. Now I’m starting to understand why they actually really work.
I am safe.
I am well.
I am loved.
I hope you too can find your place of safety and go there often. You’ll be amazed at what can change.
Some questions to reflect on :
How safe do you feel, generally? (Safe in the full sense, not just the absence of danger).
What things take you to your place of safety?
What robs you of your place of safety?
What little changes could make a big difference?