THE BIGGER PICTURE Shalini Sinha If you ever needed evidence of the mind-body connection, stress is it. When some part of our physical body is subjected to an excess of stress - when a bone has broken, a virus has overwhelmed our systems or we've lifted more weight than our structure can manage - very quickly it becomes difficult to concentrate, listen, or think about a variety of ideas freely.
The mind is pre-occupied with the stress, trying to bear it and figure solutions out of the immediate situation.
We take for granted many daily traumas - an exaggerated intake of foods depleted of nutrition, the consumption of nicotine and alcohol, dehydration, prolonged sitting, poor posture, shallow breathing, even unsupportive shoes - all create stress in our bodies, disturbing our minds.
We operate with baseline levels of "dis-ease" in our lives. We wander from one moment to the next, agitated and trying to "fix" things with a cup of coffee, a quick drink or a good night out. Ironically, we create even more anxiety.
In the same way, mental and emotional stresses pre-occupy our bodies. Nearly every day of our modern lives, we have to negotiate traffic, crowds and long queues. We have to work with or get around a mass of indifference or rudeness.
We are continuously against time, fearful and defensiveness lest we meet someone's misplaced anger. We are expected to give more of ourselves with less love and support in return.
Although this is the time that is considered most "advanced" in modern medicine, it is also a time when human beings seem to be suffering from more mental stress and physical ailments than ever before.
Mental stress is often believed to be confined to our heads. It seems elusive and intangible - born in a thought, in some ether world or intellectual cyberspace with no real physical connection. We witness or participate in difficult experiences, and as quickly as our brains are able they transfer them to the past, preparing for the next moment.
However, our brains are entirely physical. Each trauma is sent on the nerve pathways, down the spine and into the physical structure of our bodies. It is here that they are either processed or left stuck.
It is with our bodies that we are able to endure, carry emotional weight or freeze time if our resources are limited. It is in our bodies that we make decisions as to what we can manage and what is too much for the moment. It is at this level that we decide to flood ourselves with adrenalin, suppress the incident, close off our bowels or faint. Our bodies exemplify our strengths and weaknesses, remembering our past traumas when our minds are too tired to hold them in the forefront.
In fact, it seems it is essential that we pass our struggles to our bodies. It is an extremely efficient and creative way to process stress. It is in our bodies that we can pool resources. It is here we can hope for a response. And, we always get one, even if it is only to maintain endurance at this point in time - tighten the muscles, shrink the digestive system, generate more hormones, and deplete the water supplies. Eventually, however, the stores will wear out, and greater levels of physical and emotional deterioration will become apparent.
It would be naive, however, for us to try to live without stress - escape, cower, shield and hide. Health is not something that we deserve, developing when we do nothing. It is certainly not built when we retreat. Like every other living organism on this planet, we were designed to interact - with both wonders and dangers. We have the abilities within us to heal every part of ourselves, but we must practice and be active. We must face forward with intention and determination.
Stress is a natural, even desirable, part of a life that welcomes challenge, looks for new learning experiences, risks loving deeply without being sure of what might come in return, and is able to let go of some control. It is essential that we build bodies and minds capable of confronting and processing stress effectively, even using it to gain more strength.
Despite how well we appear to "function", most of us are really quite sick. Physical and emotional stresses are rampant with very few of us learning to get stronger as a result. Building physical strength might seem an obvious route to good health, but strengthening courage and integrity is essential as well.
Living life requires our full range of emotions, from those that are exciting and elating, to those that are difficult to bear. More than anything, however, it is our difficult emotions that allow us to practice courage and integrity - much like exercising a muscle. Successfully moving through emotional struggle allows us to build up stores of warmth, compassion and social support. From this, we gain the ability to continue facing our challenges.
ssinha@irish-times.ie
Shalini Sinha is an independent producer and journalist. She is a counsellor on equality issues and has lectured at Women's Studies in UCD and is co-presenter of Mono, RTÉ's intercultural programme.