Dealing With Headaches

Here’s a book I highly recommend for everyone, especaily people who go through chronic often-misunderstood ailments like cluster headaches or migraines. The author, Viktor Frankl, survived two Nazi concentration camps (including Auschwitz) and writes a bit about life in the camps, but them mostly about how anyone can find the will to survive when they think there’s a point to life. (The original German title translated to Saying Yes to Life Reguardless instead of Man’s Search for Meaning).

Get rid of all those self-help or thinking positively Louise Hay crapola. I mean, seriously — who do you think knows more about handling the sucky areas of life — an Auschwitz survivor, or someone who chats with Oprah?

Ok, A Migraine Ain’t Auschwitz, But…

Those of us with chronic pain often feel like we are helpless under totalitarian figures. Our pain tortures us at whim, no seems to believe us and getting any relief costs a fortune, which means we often have to choose between healthcare and necessities like food and the rent. There are many days when I think, “What’s the effing use? No matter how hard I try, I’m still gonna fail.”

Frankl’s book isn’t full of self-pity or rage against the Nazis. He’s a bit like a twentieth century Job. Bad things happen because bad things happen — end of argument. Get on with getting through the bad times instead of railing at the injustice of it all. Frankl reasons that he and all other concentration camp survivors manged to live because they thought there was a greater meaning to their lives. Everyone found their own meaning.

Viktor’s meaning was to survive long enough to write a book and teach others about logotherapy in which by finding a meaning to our lives, we can become healthier (or at least be able to get on with life).

Perhaps yours is to put food on the table for your family. Both are equally noble purposes.

Granted, there are many medical conditions which are the patient’s fault, in a way (especailly those who choose to smoke and drink), but chronic pain and migraine disease aren’t among them. If you are tired of all the self-help books which blame you for all your medical migraines and depression (such as You Can Heal Your Life by the afore-mentioned Louise Hay) and want some REAL comfort, then I recommed Man’s Search for Meaning.

Hope this helps.