Hi Fathom, and every one,
To answer your question, Fathom, I have already written on the forum that I am convinced there is more than one type of POIS, because people are relieved by so many different supplements or method, and no single one is efficient for everyone. My POIS Types Chart was made to try and sort all those different treatments and different types.
What IntheBrainFog is sharing here is yet still another type of POIS, that we could safely call "pure psychosomatic POIS". From my point of view, this type is not the main type, and, be re-assured, all your symptoms are not in your head, and all POIS cases are not purely psychosomatic in origin.
I am happy for IntheBrainFog that he has found relief to his symptoms ( and thanks for sharing your POIS story, IBF ! ). High level of stress is not good for any problem, and high anxixety and high stress can worsen any condition. In his case, the worsening from his stress/anxiety was the main cause of his POIS symptoms, and who knows, maybe the one cause. But, take notice of IBF final comment at the the end of his post:
I’m a guy who is very much prone to psychosomatic disorders, having had several others in the past, such as frequent headaches & hyperacusis & others where it seems likely the cause but not totally sure.
This. It is not the first time that he has psychosomatic problems. He may have a tendency to develop such problems. The human mind is very strong, and emotions are very strong as well. In certain individual, this manifest in very severe symptoms. But many POIS sufferers do not have this tendency, and the cause of their POIS is to be found elsewhere.
In my overall POIS control method, I have parts, like meditation, yoga, psychotherapy, that aim at the stress/psychosomatic components of POIS that I may have. But I still need my pre-pack of supplements, these stress managing techniques wouldn't be enough on their own. If someone, like IBF, gets total relief with auto-suggestion, and though thoughts reprogramming, eliminating negative beliefs, that's great. There is another member that has mentioned prayer as the source of his relief, and to me, that's along the same line. But for most members, they may meditate and do yoga for hours each day, and pray for hours with the most sincere heart, and this will not eliminate their POIS. And not because they didn't meditate correctly, or they didn't pray with enough faith, but because their POIS is of another type, which will not respond to purely mental/emotional/spiritual approaches. Personally, I prefer to combine both science and consciousness, and it is how I control my POIS.
Of course, you can have all sorts of hybrid cases, where you have, let's say, an immune dysfunction of a neurological dysfunction, based on real SNPs ( small genetic mutation that hinder some specific pathways in the biochemistry of the body), and, added to that, some high anxiety that just worsen the condition. And, we all no POIS generates anxiety and is very frustrating, so, you may have a real, physical problem, and this problem may get amplified by frustration, stress, anxiety, and even, a depression secondary to POIS. So, I think it is possible to have a "basic POIS", which have metabolic causes, that is worsened by a psychosomatic "add-on".
It has to be clear that it is not because there are some cases of POIS that are mostly of psychosomatic origin that ALL of POIS cases are. This would be a totally wrong assumption. So, yes, it is great for many to find some reassurance on this forum that they are not alone in the world with this problem, and that it is not all in their head. If you need further comforting, I invite you to read the excellent letter that Observer have shared today in another thread, at
http://poiscenter.com/forums/index.php?topic=2527.msg21918#msg21918 ( English version at the bottom), in order to help another member with one of the many negationist physician who would like to believe, indeed, that all POIS case are purely psychosomatic, because they haven't found yet any test to diagnose it.
