Low Back Pain: How to Become Your Strongest Support System with heather McKean
In this episode of The Mind Change Podcast's Emotional Drivers series, Heather delves into the emotional factors behind one of the most common conditions faced: low back pain.
Throughout this chapter, Heather challenges the misconception that low back pain is an inescapable facet of life, offering insights into how various societies and cultures perceive and manage this issue in contrast to prevailing American beliefs. Rather than attributing low back pain solely to aging, she delves deep into the connection between emotional states and the physical pain experienced in the lower back.
Focusing primarily on the lumbar spine, the emotional core is identified as "support," which metaphorically aligns with the spine's role in our body's support system. This emotional core encompasses a delicate balance between emotional, financial, and physical well-being, as well as our sense of security. A strong need for nurturing is observed in individuals with low back problems, reflecting feelings of early emotional abandonment, which can resurface as we age.
The episode explores core beliefs associated with low back pain, including feelings of not being supported in life, experiences of deprivation, and unresolved childhood anger. Additionally, low back pain can be linked to issues around finances, including over-responsibility and financial struggles, as well as beliefs about one's worth being determined by financial success. Furthermore, it examines how sex dysregulation is also intertwined with this discomfort and delves into one of the common secondary gains from low back pain.
Dive in! Discover how focusing on self-worth, support, and abundance can help overcome your low back pain. These elements are absolutely crucial to regain your own power and become your own strongest support system.
For those interested in a deeper exploration of the emotional aspects related to the spine, Heather recommends resources by Dr. John Sarno, such as his books Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection and The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain
In this episode, you will learn:
🔍 The significance of back pain in daily life, especially its prevalence in society.
🌍 How different societies and cultures perceive and deal with back pain compared to American culture.
🧠 The complexity of the mind-body connection, where specific emotions or feelings are associated with different vertebrae in the spine.
💔 The focus on lower back pain and its emotional core, primarily the need for support and nurturing.
👶 The connection between early emotional abandonment and low back problems, which can resurface as individuals age.
👴 Common misconceptions about back pain and aging.
💭 Core beliefs associated with low back pain, such as not feeling supported in life, feelings of deprivation, and unresolved childhood anger.
💰 The link between low back pain and financial issues, including over-responsibility and financial struggles.
💼 The impact of self-worth and the belief that one's value is tied to financial success on low back pain.
🌡️ The potential roots of low back pain in sex dysregulation.
⏸️ Common secondary gains from low back pain, such as the opportunity to take a break without guilt.
💪 The importance of working on self-worth, support, and abundance as crucial elements for healing low back pain.
📚 Further resources on healing back pain from an emotional standpoint.