Monday, July 28, 2008

The Blame Game

It’s my fault. If it’s not my fault it has to be somebody’s. Maybe it’s genetic. We rack our brains searching for a family member who gave us the faulty genes. Are we just plain defective? Did our parents do drugs or drink or smoke? Were they exposed to radiation or toxic chemicals? Then we question ourselves. Did I exercise enough? Did I exercise too much? Did I eat junk food? Did I abuse my body? Did I get enough sleep? Did I allow stress to get the better of me? Could I have done better? Is this payback for not caring enough about my health? Maybe it’s something around us: pollution, genetically modified crops, pesticides, drinking water, fluoride, vaccinations, radiation, the hole in the ozone layer. You name it, you can blame it. There has to be a reason and we won’t rest until we find it.

The fact is we have chronic illness. It would be nice to know what caused it. The causes are elusive at best. Even if we did something to bring on the illness, we can’t change the past. All the blame and guilt in the world can’t do that. Suppose the cause is genetic or environmental. How does that change what’s happening to you right now? Suppose you actually contributed to the onset of your illness. That won’t change your current condition either. But it will saddle you with a load of guilt. That guilt will make you feel even worse. All the blaming in the world will not make anyone better. Stop playing the blame game. Harness that energy to actively manage your disease and have the very best life possible!

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