Why do we need to get sick?

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A sickness is one of the ways to get what you cannot get without it. Some psychotherapists consider that a big number of illnesses have a psychological ground. There are actually seven sicknesses that are officially proved to be caused mainly by psychological reasons.

So, what does a sickness allow you to do?

  1. To take care of yourself not feeling guilty.

Medications, expensive examinations, procedures, scanning, etc. are all in your disposal just because you are sick. Try to spend that much money on spa procedures or hairdressers. There is always something more urgent.

  1. The right to rest.

We cannot skip a day or two at work just because we are tired to death and cannot find the strength to carry on. But we can stay home when we are sick.

  1. The right to be taken care of.

No matter how strong, intelligent and successful you are, when you are sick, it is always pleasant to be taken care of. A sickness gives you the right to let go and let other people take care of you for a change. Often if there is no one to take care of a person, this person remains sick for much longer time than a person who is surrounded by care.

  1. Attention from your friends and acquaintances.

A sickness is sometimes an opportunity to feel special, to deserve attention. You are discussed. You become “the subject of the day”. That is why there are quite a lot of people who have hypochondria, i.e. pretend to be sick to get attention from other people.

  1. Respect.

A person who goes through terrible suffering gets respect. People are afraid to get in your position and cannot but respect you for fighting against a disease.

  1. A possibility not to make a serious decision.

Your own sickness can make you put off new projects or a career change. If a kid got sick, parents can postpone a divorce talks. If you have a permanently sick relative you have to take care of, you don’t think much of your personal life and successful career.

  1. A possibility to stop, to listen to yourself, not to hurry all the time.

When you get sick, your life slows down and you can notice things that you haven’t noticed before. You have the time to think, to reflect and to be with yourself.

  1. Your desires are fulfilled.

When you get sick, your family and friends usually do everything to make you feel better. So you can use it to make your small desires realized, but don’t abuse it.

  1. See the world from another angle.

When you sick, it’s like you are in a different reality. When you just have to spend all the time in the horizontal position trying to get better, you look at things differently.

10. Reconsider your life.

A serious disease makes you think of what you preferred not thinking in the past. When you have even the smallest risk to your life, you see all the truth and you realize what is important and what is not. In such moments, many people decide to make some changes in their life in the future.

Of course, being sick is terrible, nobody saying it’s a walk in the park. Nevertheless, if you happen to get sick, think of the positive things you can take out of it. Maybe it is just the time for you to relax and think of your life, of your actions and decisions.

 

The author of the article is a qualified psychiatrist who helps many people cope with their problems. She also blogs and works as a freelance editor for GoHunters.com

 

 

Lisa Orto