The number one reason it’s so difficult to decide to give neural retraining a try

Since I set this blog up four months ago, I’ve spoken to quite a few people who suffer from mysterious, chronic conditions similar to the ones I had. As well as to people who know someone who suffers from such conditions.

And one thing that strikes me whenever I speak to anyone about neural retraining is how their thought process is so similar to what mine was before I decided to give DNRS a try.

The photo on the left is me 5 months after starting DNRS, the photo on the right is me before DNRS

1. The questions and doubts that come up about neural retraining
So many questions and doubts come up and I understand fully because they’re all the questions and doubts I had nine months ago.

Things like: “How can brain retraining help cure my physical symptoms?” “Maybe this could work for others but it won’t work for me.” (I previously discussed some aspects of these doubts in this blog post).

2. Not wanting to be disappointed again
But from all the people I’ve spoken to about DNRS, it’s struck me how they almost all say that they’ve tried so many things and been disappointed so many times that they don’t want to try something else only to be disappointed again.

And I totally get that. 

That was exactly how I felt the first time I came across DNRS. I was almost angry that someone might suggest that there could be a cure. I had read so many things which said that there’s no cure for multiple chemical sensitivity in particular, that the suggestion that there could be a cure seemed almost ridiculous. 

Being a bridesmaid at Corinne's wedding was a dream come true
Photo by Matthew Mirabelli Photography

It felt almost as though someone was making fun of me. And that if I went along with what they proposed, I would be setting myself up for another disappointment.

And over these months I’ve thought about my initial reaction to DNRS many times because I feel so grateful that despite how sceptical I was, one day I made the decision to just give it a try.

3. Having reached a point of acceptance
And I’ve started to understand why we’re all initially so sceptical about DNRS. 

It’s because many times by the time we hear about DNRS, we’ve reached a point of acceptance. And this acceptance is what helps us to survive the hardships of our chronic illness. But it’s also what stops us from giving something like DNRS a try.

In some ways this is linked to the 5 stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. I don’t know much about them. But I do know that as my chronic illness developed, even though there was no actual death involved, I definitely passed through the 5 stages.

I also agree with people who say that these stages aren’t necessarily linear. I would have days which felt as though I was in the acceptance stage but then a setback in my illness or a new development might take me back to the anger or depression stage.

And moving backwards and forwards between stages actually makes it pretty hard and confusing. You wonder how you were so ok with what was happening one day only to suddenly feel as though you just can’t take it anymore the next. 

I always described it as an emotional rollercoaster which used to really wear me out.

4. The number one reason it’s so difficult to decide to give neural retraining a try
So I believe the number one reason it’s so difficult to decide to give neural retraining a try is precisely this. You’re chronically ill and at some point you probably grieved for life as you knew it. 

A time when you could go wherever you wanted with no restrictions.  
When you could eat whatever you wanted.
When you had energy to do anything you wanted.
When you were pain free.

But amidst all the denial, anger, bargaining and depression, you’ve reached some sort of point of acceptance.
 
You’ve found ways to make things ok.
You’ve adjusted and made the best of your situation.
You’ve actually found things that make your new life seem in some ways better.
(For example, I had developed a passion for cooking and inventing new recipes when my food sensitivities were at their worst.) 

So the last thing you want is to get your hopes up about something which could disappoint you and take you back to a different stage. You don’t even want to give it a try. It’s harder to hope and set yourself up for a potential disappointment than to remain in the safety of what you’re now used to. This state of acceptance and coping you’ve reached. 

5. Making the best of the situation
You’ve learned to survive, you’ve learned to cope. And you’re still positive through it all. I know what a lot of strength that takes and you’re a true warrior. 

If someone suffers a life-altering experience like losing a limb, they can’t hope to get that limb back. They have to grieve it but ultimately accept what happened and make the best of the situation.

And that’s how we react in the face of a mysterious, chronic illness.

6. Why you should give DNRS a try
And I understand you completely. That was me nine months ago. I couldn’t see how neural retraining could help me. I didn’t even want to think that it might.

But somehow one day something made me decide to just give it a try.

And that’s probably the single best decision I’ve ever made in my life. I no longer need to live a restricted life. A life I had adjusted to and accepted.

DNRS gave me my life back in more ways than I ever thought possible. I can be whoever I want to be. I can do whatever I want to do.

And DNRS can give you your life back too. I know it’s not an easy decision to make. But I did it and so can you. And amazing things are waiting just round the corner for you. 

All you have to do is decide to give it a try. That one decision can change your life.