Persistent physical complaints, or ALK, can manifest themselves in different ways. You can suffer from pain, fatigue, or other physical complaints, while there is actually no physical illness. How do these complaints arise and why does it sometimes seem as if your body is not responding well?
1. What makes you susceptible to ALK?
This could be a number of things, such as genetics, childhood experiences, or even gender. Imagine that as a child you often suffered from anxiety or stress. These negative experiences can cause your body to react more quickly to stressful situations, even when there is no real threat.
Example:
You may have a medical history that has caused you to experience pain frequently, or you may have experienced a lot of stress in your childhood. This can make your body more likely to feel fear or pain in the future, even when there is no major reason for it.
2. What are provoking factors?
Triggers are events that cause your symptoms to actually come to the fore. This can be an accident, a medical procedure, or a stressful event such as moving or losing a loved one. These events can “confuse” your nervous system, causing anxiety or physical pain.
Example:
Imagine that you have undergone surgery. Maybe everything went well, but a few weeks later you suddenly start to feel a lot of pain in the area where you had surgery. Even if there is no medical reason for the pain, your fear of surgery can cause you to experience that pain more than is actually necessary.
3. What are factors that hinder recovery?
Factors that hinder recovery make it more difficult to get rid of ALK. An important factor is alexithymia , which means that you find it difficult to understand or express your emotions. This can cause you to not be able to place your complaints properly and to continue to walk around with them, without knowing where they come from.
In addition, avoidance behavior can be a problem. When you are in pain, you may tend to avoid certain things, such as going to the doctor or staying active. This can increase anxiety and cause the symptoms to persist.
Example:
You have been suffering from muscle pain for a long time, but you have no idea where it comes from. Because you cannot explain what you are feeling, you may start to avoid your emotions, which makes your complaints seem worse. Instead of talking about it or seeking help, you avoid situations in which the pain could remind you.
4. How Your Brain Affects Your Symptoms
A key idea behind ALK is how your brain interprets signals from your body. Your brain uses what we call predictive coding: it tries to predict what will happen based on previous experiences and expectations. For example, if you have experienced anxiety about certain symptoms in the past, your brain may now perceive those signals more strongly, even when nothing is actually wrong.
Example:
Imagine that you used to have headaches as a result of stress. Now you sometimes feel a slight headache, but your brain expects that this is always a sign of stress. Your brain amplifies the pain because it thinks that you are in a stressful situation again, while in reality this is not the case at all.
This process can also explain why some people with the same medical condition experience very different symptoms. For example, two people with the same disease can feel different amounts of pain, simply because their brains interpret the signals differently.
What can you do to reduce your symptoms?
Fortunately, there are ways to reduce ALK. It starts with understanding the role of your brain and how it affects your symptoms. Here are a few things you can try:
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Recognize your expectations : If you notice that your symptoms are getting stronger because you expect something to be wrong, try to consciously change your thoughts. Realize that your brain may be reacting more than necessary.
Example : If you have a headache and your brain says “oh no, this means stress again!”, try thinking “it could just be a headache, without it meaning anything serious.”
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Stay active : Avoid avoidance behavior. Try not to panic or ignore your symptoms, but keep moving and seek distraction. The more you avoid your symptoms, the stronger the fear can become.
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Seek help if you need it : If you have trouble understanding or sharing your emotions, it can help to talk to a therapist. By better understanding your feelings, you can often better deal with your symptoms.
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Take care of yourself : Get a good night's sleep, eat a healthy diet and get enough rest. Your body and mind work together, so if you take care of your body, your brain will also be less likely to experience unwarranted complaints.
The path to recovery
ALK can be caused by a combination of factors, including genetics, past experiences, stress, and how your brain interprets bodily signals. The most important thing to understand is that your body and mind are intimately connected. By understanding your symptoms, you can learn how to manage them and reduce them. Remember, you are not alone in this journey – it is a journey of self-understanding, acceptance, and healthy choices.
With the right knowledge, support and self-care, you can regain control over your complaints and work towards recovery step by step.
