Posted by cloudydaze on July 24, 2006, at 13:17:48
In reply to Re: oh and SLS » spriggy, posted by Phillipa on July 23, 2006, at 11:56:37
I have always believed there is a mind/body connection...
Learned about the phenomenon in my stress management class. Physical diseases can cause mental problems and mental problems can cause physical illnesses. If you're stressed out, your immune system can be depressed...
It's all very interesting to me, considering I have 2 autoimmune disorders - apparently caused by stress. I've had Vitaligo since I was 12, and I had Alopecia for awhile when I was 17 or 18...actually, the Alopecia cured itself after taking a Stress Management class in junior college....but the Vitaligo has spread and gotten much worse.
For those who don't know - Vitaligo is a disorder of the skin where pigmentation is lost in certain areas. And of course, I have dark enough skin that it contrasts to the Michael Jackson-white patches of skin :) It usually happens wherever there is damage to the skin - if I get a cut, scrape, or even a mosquito bite, it can turn white. All my stretch marks from pregnancy are white patches now.
Alopecia is the loss of hair in patches. People with advanced alopecia have no hair on their bodies at all. Not even eyebrows. Luckily, I only lost hair in one patch, and it grew back white....which is why i keep my hair dyed :) Apparently I'm lucky it grew back at all.
These disorders are basically the body attacking itself due to stress, or some other cause. My mother also has a few autoimmune disorders - but I'm not sure what they are. I think it has a genetic basis.
Although I hate having them, I think they are fascinating.
poster:cloudydaze
thread:669563
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060724/msgs/670024.html