When Healing’s Uncomfortable
I recently discovered I’m severely allergic to insect stings, and while I’m extremely grateful for access to urgent care and necessary medication, I struggled with the treatment’s side effects.
The severity of my symptoms warranted not only an injection, but also a 12-day, take-home medication. It increased my blood pressure, blood sugar, and anxiety. It reduced my sleep quality, energy levels, and immune system.
The treatment was reducing inflammation and allowing my body to flush out toxins so it could heal. But it was also presenting new challenges that disoriented me.
As I sat in the tension of gratitude for modern medicine and frustration from the side effects, I had this thought:
Sometimes, what will heal us will also temporarily increase our discomfort.
Medical treatments, like the ones I received, can fight severe or life-threatening conditions while also causing an onslaught of unpleasant symptoms.
Therapy can bring healing and improved longterm wellbeing, but it can also dredge up trauma (and its effects on us).
How do we know whether the pain we’re experiencing is part of the healing process or something causing further damage?
How do we pursue wholeness without acquiring unnecessary pain along the way?
This is a complex question with a complex answer.
At risk of oversimplifying the conversation, I’d posit that if the discomfort feels like growing pains while you’re steadily progressing towards wholeness, it’s likely part of the process.
Take, for example, setting boundaries in a difficult relationship. This may initially cause tension with the other person—and the person may accidentally break those boundaries as they’re adjusting to them. In most/non-abusive cases, the discomfort of establishing new norms ultimately leads to an emotionally healthier relationship. However, if the person continually disrespects your boundaries and causes you harm, that’s no longer part of the healing process.
Healing may cause temporary discomfort, but rather than continuing to bring us pain, it should be working towards our ultimate good.
