A Change in Perspective: What is a Healing Person?

I read an interesting article titled "I'm Sick With Alice in Wonderland Syndrome" by Emily Lefroy. The article is about Etta, who was bedridden for two years with a condition that left her feeling like she was "floating" outside of her body, "unable to even shower." The article states, "According to Healthline, people with the syndrome may feel larger or smaller than they actually are and also find that the room they're in . . . seems to shift and feel further or closer than it really is, much like the classic Lewis Carroll character, Alice."

The rest of the article talks about Etta's long diagnosis journey and her efforts to process and manage her condition. But at the end of the article, she says, "I had to relearn how I thought about my disease and how I approached it to be able to heal. It took a tremendous amount of work . . . I had to think of myself as a healing person, not a sick person."

I realize that we who have ulcerative colitis or Crohn's cannot be healed. Nevertheless, that statement really struck me.

What is a healing person? What does "healing" mean for someone with a chronic condition that currently has no cure? If we can't be cured does that mean "healing" doesn't apply to us?

"Healing" versus "sick"

When I think of the word "healing," I feel warmth, light, hope, and purpose. When I think of the word "sick," I feel coldness, darkness, despair, and loss. I realized that as long as I thought of myself as a sick person (which is what I was doing), I was leaving myself susceptible to those negative feelings.

But after reading that article, I purposely started to think of myself as a "healing" person, living in the warmth, light, hope, and purpose of my life, not in the despair and darkness of my disease.

It has made all the difference.

Changing my perspective on my UC

Perspective! I am a HEALING person! Even if my body can't be healed right now!

On my blog, Colitis Senioritis, I wrote, " . . . wishing and hoping and 'happy' thoughts will not keep UC at bay." That is absolutely true. However, our negative thoughts will sabotage and impair our abilities to get through the bad flares, and perhaps more significantly, thwart our efforts to delight in the good times.

Having hope

The article ends with Etta saying, "My biggest hope for the future, of course, is to find a cure. Now that I have hit rock bottom with my health and recovered to where I am now, I have so much hope."

HEALING and HOPE. Words to live by!

Have you experienced a change in perspective that has helped you through this journey? Share your thoughts in the comments below!