We are a fast paced culture that likes instant relief. To get that instant relief, we will sometimes over-ride the systems of our body that get in the way. I have made the statement a number of times over the years, “we do not get headaches because we have a deficiency of Tylenol in our body.” This comes across as a revolutionary thought to some people I know! We are so accustomed to instant fixes that we can’t imagine letting a headache slow us down, much less taking the time to look for the cause of the headache!
Many times we can think our lives would be better if we didn’t experience any pain. But pain is NOT the bad guy. It is a symptom that there is something wrong, telling us to stop what we are doing and pay attention. We don’t get headaches because we need Tylenol and we don’t get back aches because we need Muscle Relaxants. If we don’t learn the lesson that pain is bringing us, then we are doomed to keep revisiting the same patterns and challenges- having the pain return in an attempt to get our attention.
When we decide we don’t like the pain and cover it up, masking the symptom with medications, it is just like ignoring that annoying flashing light on our dashboard that is telling us that we are running low on gas or that our engine is overheating. We don’t need to ignore the dashboard, we need to listen to the warnings and get to a mechanic!
The media is full of commercials that tell us we can take a medication and return to the normal activities of our life. Is this really the best thing for us? Let me ask you, is it good for us to keep driving when our car is overheating, or do you think that those ignored signals can lead to a blown engine that will involve a more lengthy and costly repair?
If this has been your habit- to reach for some pills when a symptom comes up, I would encourage you to get a check up to see if the root cause can be addressed. If you know someone that carries Tylenol in their purse, encourage them to get checked too! There is a slogan: “Friends don’t let friends…” It has been used for serious situations like “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk” and funnier ones like “Friends don’t let friends skip leg day” when referring to exercising. (Have you seen the pictures of muscled body builders with skinny tooth pick legs?) I would suggest that
Friends don’t let friends take drugs that reduce their health and wellness!
If you have a friend that carries Advil in their purse, encourage them to get a check up at our office. Send them this article or tell them about our “Tell a friend” promotion this month. They’ll thank you for it!