My Journey with Alopecia

We have always been a family with good hair - and youthful hair at that. My Dad kept most of his hair until a ripe old age, and didn't turn grey until well advanced in years. My brothers all still have full heads of hair and I've always had a real mop of strong, healthy, shiny hair which was thankfully and conveniently very low maintenance.

Imagine then, my surprise when my hairdresser rang me immediately after my appointment to tell me that she had noticed a bald patch at the back of my head, which she thoughtfully hadn't want to flag up in front of others in the salon. Surprised, yes - but also relieved. I thought she was going to tell me that I had head lice! Somehow, alopecia didn't seem quite so bad at that point.

The immediate thought in cases of alopecia is that it is a response to stress. Yes of course I've had stress in my life (having four children under 5 years old was one of them) - haven't we all? - but I would say that these days I'm probably the most chilled that I've ever been. Blood screens for thyroid problems, diabetes or other auto-immune conditions all came back clear.

Alopecia is one of those mystery auto-immune conditions where there's no specific cause and no effective treatment. Alopecia areata (which is what I have) is the non-scarring variety so at least there is the potential for the hair to regrow in time.

So over the past nine months, I have gradually but significantly been losing hair from the back of my scalp. What started as a patch about the size of a £2 coin, and very well hidden somewhere in my mop - has now affected almost three quarters of the back of my head. I still had a wispy covering in the worst places but it was becoming very drafty indeed!

The remaining hair was not unaffected though. In more and more places the ends of the hair were becoming slightly crinkled, as though it had been heat-damaged. And more and more hair was falling out each time I brushed.

So today I took the plunge and had it all shaved off - short back and sides if ever there was one! Yes, it feels a bit chilly at the moment but I've still got some on top, AND I still have slightly more hair than my husband has!

This may seem rather extreme, but embracing the next stage in this way is exciting and actually rather liberating. I was more than ready to ditch the old mop and now I'm looking forward to experimenting with headscarves, new earrings and even a head tattoo!

I have pre-warned my family and close associates so as to lessen their shock, and will cover my head at times if I feel some, particularly vulnerable people and patients, may feel unsure of how to react. But ultimately, I don't want to hide my alopecia - after all, it's not contagious or life-threatening, it's just different.

At the end of the day, it's only hair (or rather, lack of) - the person underneath it all (me) is still the same.

Grief in Everyday Life

When we suffer the loss of a loved one, then we must allow ourselves time to grieve. Grief is a process of healing, and it is necessary to experience each stage of this process before reaching the final stage - acceptance, learning to live with the loss which has occurred.

The stages of grief we experience start with shock and denial; we feel anger and want to blame - ourselves, someone or something; we may feel guilty or sink into depression and withdraw from life; we may start bargaining - asking the 'what if's' and the 'if only's', until gradually we learn to carry our burden and accept the loss, enabling us to reach out to others and get involved in life once more.

The stages of grief don't follow any particular timeline. Some people experience all the stages, some seem to skip a stage; many bounce back and forth between stages and some get completely stuck. There is no expected duration - there is no right or wrong. Some people are denied the time to grieve or don't allow themselves to do so, often by keeping themselves frenetically busy. This is a coping mechanism and /or an avoidance technique which allows them to function in the short term, but it cannot be sustained.

The grieving process also comes into play at other key moments in our lives - often when things are done to us or taken from us ie things happen which are not of our choosing. Things such as being sacked from a job or being made redundant; retirement; divorce; children starting school, leaving home, going off to uni or getting married.

When it comes to our health, there are also instances when it would be appropriate to go through a grieving process, although it may not be obvious at first glance that this is indeed what we're experiencing.

Some women can struggle emotionally on reaching menopause. Fluctuating hormone levels play a big part in this, but with it also comes the realisation that her child-bearing days are over - the door has closed on that part of her life and she will never get it back again.

Being diagnosed with a life-changing medical condition  can also bring about an emotional struggle, brought about by the realisation that it is no longer possible to live by the same lifestyle as before the diagnosis. This diagnosis can bring with it intensive medication and treatment regimes, dietary changes, limitations in mobility and life expectancy. Once again, the door has closed on the 'normal' pre-diagnosis life and it will never be the same again.

At times like these it is therefore appropriate - and indeed necessary - to grieve the loss of the previous 'normal' life. Although the body will never fully heal, it is possible to heal the mind and the spirit by allowing ourselves to grieve - to give ourselves time and permission to experience fully all the stages and emotions, so that we can reach the stage of acceptance of our 'new normal' and begin to live our lives again.

Five Element Acupuncture is a very useful therapy in supporting patients who have received a life-changing diagnosis. The treatment room provides a safe space where the patient can talk about how they are feeling, a place where they can be heard and given permission to off-load without fear of being judged. It is particularly useful at times when talking is just to painful - we just let the needles do their work.

Short Crust or Flaky?

Is it my imagination or have we as a society become rather flaky these days?

This has happened to me several times in recent weeks - people making an arrangement and then backing out at the last minute or simply just not turning up.

Of course this can be excused in times of crisis or illness, but very often people are flaky because a better option has come along, or they simply just can't be bothered.

Not only is this disappointing for the person who has been let down, but it shows a complete lack of respect by the perpetrator. Making a commitment with someone shows a sign of respect to that person - it tells them that they are important and worthy of our attention.

When we break that commitment, it tells the person that they are no longer as important as they were when the arrangement was made because something/someone else has come along that is more important and more demanding of our attention.

Not only are we showing a lack of respect to others when we renege on arrangements, we are also showing a lack of self-respect. The moment we feel pressured into changing our prior arrangement means that we are putting the needs of others before our own. Of course there will always be exceptional circumstances, but generally we are entitled to give our own needs and wishes priority and request that others wait their turn.

Very often we get sent a text message to remind us of a forthcoming appointment. This may well improve the attendance rates but it is actually relieving us of our responsibility to honour our original commitment.

And if we find ourselves breaking a commitment for legitimate reasons, then there really is no excuse for failing to letting people know. Left to their own devices, the person who has been let down may jump to the wrong conclusion and wonder what they have done to upset the other person; either that or they'll fear the worst.

It is worth noting that children, elderly and vulnerable people do not handle a lack of commitment well. By their very nature they are indeed vulnerable and they rely on trust - breaking a commitment will disappoint hugely and will erode trust.

Let's leave flakiness to pastry and endeavour to make our commitments short crust and solid.

Codependency - the Absence of Self-Love

I am often asked which conditions patients most commonly seek treatment for. People are usually really surprised when I say that whilst it is usually a physical pain or symptom which prompts them to seek help, almost without exception there is an underlying unresolved emotional issue which is prevalent and in need of as much, if not more attention.

Of the patients I have seen lately, a common theme has been evident - one of feeling completely emotionally 'empty'. Of those who are in a relationship, they feel unloved or undeserving of love; they do everything for everybody else and deny their own needs; they feel they have no voice, are not listened to or feel invisible in the relationship.

Of those not currently with a partner, they have a history of entering into toxic relationships which they feel unable to leave, or else are made to feel immense guilt at the thought of leaving, often being subjected to intense emotional blackmail by their partner. They often find it difficult to give and receive love and even compliments, and can seem very needy but at the same time are quick to push partners away or exclude them.

In Five Element Acupuncture terms this can be attributed to an imbalance in the Earth element and often can be traced back to a trauma in childhood, where the child's emotional needs were not met by one or both parents, often the mother figure. The child whose emotional needs are not met can become a child who shows little or no emotion, and eventually a person who is totally independent and prefers doing things/being completely on their own, unable to ask for or receive help. They may appear very confident and competent, and can be very controlling.

The irony here is that such patients are actually desperate to feel loved; they often need to be needed and are people-pleasers. In relationships, they become the perfect spouse or partner - bending over backwards to please but often feeling that whatever they do is never enough. They will do whatever it takes to keep the peace and avoid rocking the boat. They will do whatever it takes to be loved, but they will very often never actually FEEL loved as the relationship is frequently very one-sided and toxic.

These behaviours are learned early on in childhood where the family dynamic was difficult - one or both parents may have been an addict or an emotional manipulator. These are signs of CODEPENDENCY - and the overwhelming characteristic is the absence of self-love.

Codependency is a habitual and often addictive behaviour - those exhibiting these traits tend to be consistently drawn to partners who are emotional manipulators or addicts, and repeatedly enter into toxic relationships which are destined to fail.

But it is possible to recover. The starting point is awareness - the realisation that there is a pattern of behaviour which keeps being repeated, resulting in a negative outcome; there must also be the desire to change - a desire to be able to have a nourishing and equal relationship with a partner.

Emotional support through a talking therapy is extremely useful, in conjunction with Five Element Acupuncture, where the treatment would center on nourishing the Earth element so that it feels less 'empty'. Continued support is essential, and can be sought through self-help groups such as CoDA.

Could you be codependent? Click on the links below for more information.

http://www.coda-uk.org/index.php?page=patterns-characteristics-of-co-dependency

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS1RP_-njwQ

Empty Nest? Now What?

Travelling on the M25 today I saw a people carrier stuffed full of gear, Dad driving, Mum reading a Uni prospectus and a soon-to-be uni student fast asleep in the back. It was only just after lunch after all, so far too early in the day for a fresher to be up and conscious!

Hmm - this brings back memories, I thought.

It's a few years now since I was making the self same Uni delivery trip with my tribe, but there will be lots of Mums and Dads out there who will be returning from such a journey to a very quiet and empty house. Once the novelty of owning a house that remains tidy for more than five minutes has passed and the fridge doesn't empty as soon as it's filled, then some parents may well be feeling rather lost.

Kids going off to Uni marks the end of an era and the beginning of a transitional stage in their parents' lives. Some cope very well but others really struggle with letting go of their offspring, feeling a real sense of grief, guilt, worry and a loss of identity.

In Five Element Acupuncture terms, it is the Earth element which is concerned with the caring, nurturing and providing qualities of parents. Late Summer is when the Earth element should be at its peak, but it can become very depleted through years of caring and giving to others (ie children) without adequate replenishment.

If the Earth element is undernourished, then it is unable to feed its 'child' element of Metal, which comes into its own in Autumn. The Metal element is concerned with taking in and letting go - when it is distressed it becomes out of balance and its associated emotions of guilt and grief are allowed to run riot.

When the Metal element is depleted, then in turn it cannot feed its 'child' element of Water. If Water is out of balance its associated emotion of fear becomes out of control, allowing worry and anxiety to develop.

So called 'Empty Nest Syndrome' can therefore be explained in Five Element terms as an imbalance in the positive energetic cycle. Treatment would entail nourishing the patient's Guardian Element so that it in turn can further nourish the distressed elements.

If this imbalance is left unchecked, then there is the tendency to adopt certain habits or lifestyle factors to fill the void that has been left by the departing offspring, eg comfort eating, drinking, smoking and other excesses. These measures serve as coping mechanisms and may well suffice for a short while, but often there comes a time when they're just not enough - before long, a habit becomes an addiction, and an addiction becomes a problem.

Even Plants Like 'Acupuncture' Treatment.

Finding myself with an unexpected free afternoon the other week, I turned my attention to my houseplants. I had noticed that some of them were starting to look a bit stressed, and being around stressed plants really saps my energy.

One particular culprit was a large parlour palm which I had rescued a few months ago from the 'Reduced' section, where it was looking rather jaded and in need of TLC. It was parched when I bought it, so I gave it a good drink, some liquid feed and sat it in a light and airy spot, but it still looked sick. In fact, nearly every week I was having to cut away shrivelled leaves, despite watering it regularly.

This poor plant obviously needed more than I was currently giving it. The plant's needs were not being met and I needed to take a closer look at why the things I was doing weren't working.

So I decided I'd try re-potting even though the pot it was in was of adequate size, but some fresh compost never goes amiss.

When I eased the palm out of the pot, I found that the compost was dry, tired and had lost its structure. It fell away easily as there were no roots holding it together. After teasing away more of the old compost it became clear that the plant had previously become pot bound when it was in a much smaller pot and had subsequently been re-potted at least twice. However, when it had been transferred into progressively bigger pots its roots had not been teased out of the root ball, and so they were still tightly packed together and completely unable to free themselves in order to grow into the new space. The root system was being strangled and was clearly incapable of supporting an abundant top growth. No wonder the palm was struggling.

I see a clear parallel between this plant and my patients. Just as a plant will get by for a while with water and liquid feed, patients usually respond initially to Western Medicine prescribed drugs. But often there comes a point when this superficial treatment is not enough and both will fail to thrive.

At this point, Western Medicine would up the ante - turning to multiple, stronger or longer acting drugs to cover up persistent symptoms. My plant didn't respond well to the 'let's throw more at it 'approach ie being plonked into ever bigger pots - this proved to be completely overwhelming and its roots remained in a tight cluster, unable to branch out. It needed to have its roots gently untangled, to be given fresh compost and a smaller pot initially to encourage new growth at a steady rate before moving into a larger size.

Patients can react in this manner too, becoming easily overwhelmed by treatment or drugs which may be too much, too strong and too soon. They can retreat within themselves, unable to break out of their habitual, internal, emotional maelstrom created by their current illness and their past traumas. Any change to the status quo requires energy, a resource which patients often have precious little of  when they present for treatment, and so they need to be able to reach out for help.

Patients need to give themselves permission to be coaxed out of the stranglehold their illness has on them; they need to feel safe, supported, reassured and nourished during their period of physical and emotional recovery and expansion; most importantly, patients need to allow themselves time to heal. Chronic illness is our body's way of telling us that our lifestyle isn't working for us and we need to change something - change requires energy and time, and can't be rushed.

Five Element Acupuncture treatment provides a safe and nurturing environment in which patients can explore the deeper issues surrounding their illness, to whatever depth and pace they are comfortable with.. It utilises a specific needling protocol to enable the patient to let go of the emotions associated with past traumas, thus freeing up the body to begin the process of self-healing.

Patients are very much like plants - they need sound roots in order to thrive.

New Car Rave!

I've got a new car - yipee!

Well OK, not NEW new, rather new DIFFERENT - and very shiny and clean, with that 'new car smell' and immaculate blackened tyres.

Last week I parted company with my ageing Toyota and switched allegiance to a young whipper-snapper of a Honda. What's more, I really pushed outside of my comfort zone and switched from petrol to diesel.

This is really big cheese for me as my Earth element has the tendency to be very resistant to change. We with Earth Guardian Elements are renowned for being stubborn and can seem almost stuck, not necessarily through arrogance of knowing that our way is the right way or the only way (that would be characteristic of the Wood element) but more due to the feeling of safety in what we know.

Earth's belief of 'I know what I like and I like what I know' makes us very reluctant to try anything new. I must admit that I had to push myself to drive this new beast the day after I picked it up - I was quite content to look at it sitting pretty on the driveway for a whole day before I snapped myself out of my rut.

I remembered what the salesman had told me about this car's eco features - a green light comes up on the speedometer if you're driving economically, blue if you're not. Also, it will tell you when to change up or down a gear according to the engine revs.

Visions of grannies sucking eggs came to mind, as after all, I had driven my husband's diesel car fairly frequently over the years, and I knew what I was doing, didn't I?

But I duly paid heed to the bells and whistles - and just as well, because only then did I appreciate that actually the driving techniques for diesel and petrol cars are very different, and with this came the realisation that I'd been driving both in exactly the same manner for all this time.

And so I ate a big helping of humble pie! I'm now very aware of the wrong assumptions I had made and how blinkered I had become, and also set in my ways. This new car has prompted me to think more laterally and to increase my awareness so that I can learn to drive it far more sympathetically - and hopefully economically!

Extending this scenario to acupuncture practice, it is important that we challenge ourselves with new ideas often so that we don't become too comfortable with over-familiarity and we are able to keep our minds and hearts open. Regular CPD and reflective practice in Supervision are key to ensuring this is so.