Do Societal Expectations Cause Disease?
What is Autoimmune Disease?
Autoimmune disease is defined as any condition where your immune system attacks its healthy cells, tissues, or organs.
There are over 100 different types of autoimmune disorders categorized under disease.
Society May Have Caused Autoimmune Disease Rise
It has been thought that autoimmune disease is solely a gender issue. After all, Dr. Gabor Mate proclaims that ” 80% of autoimmune diseases happen to women.” However, let’s take a deeper look into why women may be diagnosed with autoimmune disease over men.
It’s simple…People-pleasing. Well, that’s Dr. Gabor Mate’s theory at least.
That’s right, women are influenced everywhere they look to people- please. We live in modern times, how can that be, you ask?
Yes, women in today’s society are encouraged to be independent and have a voice, make their own money, and have a kick-ass career. They are also encouraged to maintain a home and be nurturing towards their family and friends while still taking the lead on dinner plans.
In simple terms, do it all but keep a people-pleasing approach to life.
What is people-pleasing? Here is the definition according to Merriam-Webster. People-pleasing is “someone or something that pleases or wants to please people.”
But how does one become a people-pleaser? Well, people-pleasing has been linked to certain personality traits, culture, gender, and unresolved trauma.
The Autoimmune Disease and People-Pleasing Connection
How is people-pleasing connected to autoimmune disease? Well, people-pleasing behavior over time can cause chronic stress. Chronic stress on the body can weaken your immune system over time. Weakened immune systems can subject the body to different health conditions. If you already have a history of certain diseases in your family, chronic stress on the body will exacerbate these hidden conditions.
Are You a People-Pleaser?
Well, let’s first start by taking a moment to pause and check-in. It’s called self-awareness. Self-awareness allows us to reflect on our patterns of behavior and lack of boundaries. There are four percussors to be aware of when it comes to people-pleasing. Maybe you find yourself participating in a few or all. Either way, it’s good to be mindful of your behavior.
Ignoring one's own needs while putting others' needs ahead of one's own. This includes both physical and emotional needs.
Classifying yourself in a particular role. This means prioritizing what you think society expects of you. Yes, ladies, that one hits a little differently right? What are the expectations you put on yourself as a mother, wife, daughter, sister, and friend?
Repressing anger and being “nice.” Our bodies NEED to experience anger. I will repeat. Our bodies NEED to experience anger. Repressing anger only creates a resentful self that internally causes a negative voice within.
Believing you are responsible for other’s feelings. You are allowed to disappoint people. It is not our job as humans to be responsible for other people’s reactions and emotions.
Each of these four percussors intertwines with a lack of boundaries. Over time, a lack of boundaries will backfire on the body.
Final Thoughts
Don’t get me wrong, I do believe in family precursors and the existence of heredity conditions. I am not dismissing the science and medical reasoning behind why some people are diagnosed with chronic disease over others.
But diving deeper with an analytical approach to why women are diagnosed with chronic disease more than men is how we make a shift in the paradigm of social expectations as well as the expectations we put on ourselves.
