What does having a diagnosis really mean?

Essentially all that a diagnosis means is that you have a pattern of signs and symptoms that have been given a name.

People have the tendency to get worried when they start to notice something in their body functioning differently than it used too.  The default thought is, “something is wrong.”  When you have this thought your body immediately goes into fight or flight, known as stress mode, which is the opposite of healing mode.

While it’s true that when your body begins to behave differently it is a good idea to pay attention.  I invite you though to reframe your thinking.  Instead of immediately thinking “What is wrong with me?!”, get curious.  Ask yourself, “What is really going on here?, What is my body trying to tell me?, What needs to change in my life now?”  This line of questioning will lead you down a very different path; a path that leads to healing and transformation.

Choosing to Be Well 

What does it mean to be Well?

There is tremendous power in choosing how you label and view your body.  The typical response to receiving a diagnosis is to also believe that you are “sick, ill or not well” and essentially that something is wrong with you.

Having the label of a diagnosis can also easily become the “reason why I’m sick” or “why I am the way I am”.  All of your power goes to the diagnosis and you are at it’s mercy.  It becomes the “why” for why you can’t or aren’t able to participate in life or show up in the world as you want too.

It is time to take your power back!  Instead of slipping into feeling like things can’t change or that you can’t do the things you want too remember that you have choice.  You can choose sickness or you can choose wellness regardless if you have a diagnosis or not.

Wellness is the active process of becoming increasingly aware, making congruent choices and evolving though a process of moving towards your full potential.  It has little to do with if you have a diagnosis.  Diagnoses can be great teachers for you in helping you see areas that need to change in your life.  In choosing to learn through your diagnosis, instead of letting it become your identity, you choose growth and forward movement into more of your potential.  That is choosing to be Well!

If you are ready to see what life is teaching you through your diagnosis we would love to hear from you and see if we are able to assist you in continuing to move towards greater wellness in your life.

Dr. Amanda Hessel, DC