I recently heard someone say that when you doctor gives you a diagnosis that it’s our responsibility to tell our own health story. In other words, you are not your diagnosis. When you have been struggling with chronic illness or any other mysterious ailment, it can feel like you won a jackpot when you get a diagnosis. After all, “when you can name it, you can tame it.” However, when that diagnosis starts to define you, that’s where things get sticky.
My diagnosis, my ruler
I remember when I finally got my first diagnosis for Hashimoto’s disease. I felt a mix of elation, relief and validation. These were all combined because I knew something was wrong with me, but now I had the diagnosis to prove it. It changed the way I spoke with my doctors and the research I did. It further cemented that I would never eat gluten again along with other changes I needed to make, to remain healthy. However, at some point, my diagnosis became my ruler. It informed what I could and couldn’t do and created limitations that didn’t exist before. You see, diagnoses are tricky because it’s what you do after receiving them, that counts.
The diagnosis trap
It’s easy to fall into the trap of “I can’t do this or that because I have X.” In some cases, the story we start telling ourselves is that this label has now defined the confines of our life. It seemingly closes doors in front of us and we quit before we even try. I remember thinking, well I have an autoimmune disease, so gluten is no longer on the table for me. It was giving the diagnosis the power to tell me I could no longer eat gluten. However, that wasn’t true. I could continue to eat whatever I wanted, but I had to choose how much “elective pain,” I wanted to endure. I could also choose if I wanted to heal or not. The label accompanying my diagnosis was just that. A label. I had the power to choose what I did with that label.
Diagnoses are information
Diagnoses are nothing more than information. They can be beneficial when help you qualify for benefits or protections at work or otherwise. They can also help provide directional information about where to start to learn more. For example, if you just received a diagnosis of diverticulitis, you may know that you need to remove seeds from your diet, to avoid flares. You can choose to do this or not, but now you have information about what could make your condition worse. The same with Hashimoto’s disease. Science shows that gluten is contraindicated with autoimmune thyroid disorders (AITD) [1,2,3,4], but you still get to choose if the diagnosis tells your story, or you do.
Shifting the conversation of diagnoses
So how do you shift the conversation. It’s simple, but words matter. For example, for someone with Hashimoto’s, the conversation may look like this. Instead of “I can’t eat gluten because I have Hashimoto’s,” you could say “I don’t eat gluten because it hurts my health.” By putting yourself in a position of power, you shift the story. You begin telling the story of your own health. Owning your health story is empowering and takes you out of the “Dr. Dictator lecture,” into a conversation to partner in your health. This is another way we teach clients to advocate for themselves at Pomona Wellness.
It’s common to feel a flood of different emotions with a new diagnosis. You’re not alone. However, that flood is often followed by feelings of overwhelm. If you aren’t sure where to start, schedule a free breakthrough session for additional support. You aren’t alone and everyone is entitled to good health and wellness. For additional Wellspiration, check out our blog. Wishing you abundant health and limitless joy!