Psychosomatic Causes of Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is an infectious inflammation of the lungs and considered a socially dangerous disease. Everyone is exposed to the Koch’s bacillus, which we encounter almost daily in public transport, shops, and streets. However, not everyone contracts tuberculosis. Why does the immune system of some people cope with the infection while others fail? The answer lies in the psychosomatics of tuberculosis.

Significance of Lungs in Psychosomatics

The lungs play a vital role in the process of breathing, which holds almost the same significance in psychosomatics. Through the lungs, we inhale life. The ability to breathe reflects how much we enjoy life, accept it, and express ourselves. Breathing can be seen as an exchange of energy between a person and the world. Lung problems arise when something or someone, perhaps even oneself, hinders a person’s ability to breathe.

Tuberculosis and Psychosomatics

As early as 1826, a French doctor discovered a link between tuberculosis and human suffering. Since then, numerous studies have proven that prolonged stress, not just a severe shock, predisposes to tuberculosis. Examples of such states include:

• Prolonged job search or career choice;
• Unsuccessful love affairs, prolonged partner search;
• Systematic conflicts at work or in the family;
• Self-dissatisfaction, identity issues;
• Delay in making crucial life decisions;
• Disappointment;
• Fears.

Recovery occurs when the problematic situation is resolved through external intervention. If this does not happen, the weakened and confused person subconsciously chooses another path – to fall ill.

Consider the example of work. People with tuberculosis cannot work, and in chronic and severe cases, they may even become disabled. Isn’t that a solution if you can’t decide on a career or find a job?

Tuberculosis results from mental decay, the withering of a person due to a joyless existence.

Other causes of tuberculosis include:

• Tendency towards melancholy, depressive moods;
• Selfishness leading to ruthlessness and revenge;
• Sins and vices closely linked to selfishness, causing destructive effects on personality;
• Cruelty associated with deep-seated old resentment (includes children from dysfunctional families, people with low social status, prisoners, etc.).

People with tuberculosis do not know themselves and, therefore, do not know what they want from life. They cannot take the best from life but always notice the worst. Healing requires understanding what is as necessary to you as air and starting to take it.

Important! People working in harmful industries and under dangerous conditions are at risk. Those prone to cruelty and engaged in disliked activities are also at risk.

Psychological Portrait of People with Tuberculosis

The development of primary or secondary tuberculosis is influenced by one’s social environment, personality traits, and life situation. Life history and lifestyle are essential in diagnosis and treatment.

There is no single psychological portrait of tuberculosis patients. However, they share a common feature – extreme sensitivity. They are deeply attached to loved ones and need constant care, protection, and love.

They seek sympathy and recognition. Some admit this need, while others, suffering from internal contradictions, desire independence and fear closeness. This fear and desire to escape closeness lead to harsh actions.

All tuberculosis patients are sensitive, but this takes different forms:

• Some are emotionally drained in personal relationships;
• Others are overburdened at work (conflicts, job changes, qualifications, reporting, etc.);
• Some fear death (their own or of loved ones).

Important! Diagnosing and treating tuberculosis requires an individual approach. In consultations, psychotherapists must determine all personality traits and lifestyle factors, finding the unique ‘Achilles’ heel’.

Research has identified several common traits among tuberculosis patients:

• Low intellect;
• Concrete and weak operational thinking;
• Low education level;
• Insecurity;
• Infantilism;
• Asocial behavior;
• Irritability;
• Rigidity;
• Passivity.

However, other risk groups for tuberculosis exist based on psychosomatics.

First Risk Group

If tuberculosis arises from self-restriction, deeper psychosomatic causes must be considered. This often involves unjustified internal guilt, common among modest and conscientious individuals with a heightened sense of duty and responsibility. These individuals are preoccupied with others’ opinions, living for others while convinced of their imperfection, believing they don’t deserve better. Accustomed to helping and protecting others, sacrificing themselves, they eventually become exhausted.

Second Risk Group

Those resentful of everyone often complain about their fate. Betrayed by friends, cheated on by loved ones, fired from jobs – life seems to constantly beat them down. This leads to self-devaluation, anger, despair, and melancholy – classic signs of tuberculosis psychosomatics.

Third Risk Group

Creative individuals, such as musicians, inventors, scientists, writers, and artists, often face misunderstanding and the world’s cruelty. Some struggle with bureaucratic obstacles (patenting inventions or publishing scientific works), while others clash with their families (‘find a proper job’).

Creative personalities suffer from being unable to fully realize themselves. They want to be themselves but are constantly confined and normed, which is torture for a creative mind. This leads to resentment towards life and anger at the system or close people.

Risk Group According to Louise Hay

Louise Hay provides the following psychological characteristics of tuberculosis patients:

• Insecurity combined with a sense of superiority;
• Tendency towards self-criticism;
• Prohibition against pleasure and positive emotions;
• Prosocial activity without rest;
• Guilt complex, blaming oneself for all global and minor problems;
• Enjoying one’s sad state, indulging in self-pity;
• Constant dwelling on negative memories.

Psychological Changes after Diagnosis

If a person is ill for a long time, their personality undergoes psychological changes, including:

• Fears (death, job loss, loss of attractiveness, etc.);
• Obsessive thoughts of doom and meaninglessness;
• Capriciousness;
• Increased irritability.

Psychological Causes of Tuberculosis

Reasons for contracting tuberculosis include:

• Belief in one’s unworthiness of life and inability to be oneself.
• Others convincing the individual that they cannot live as they wish.
• Suppression of desires due to fears, pressure, or other reasons.
• Being mired in routine, feeling bored, disliking everything, and being irritated.
• Physical, psychological, and emotional exhaustion from life’s challenges, with no opportunity for rest.
• Lack of understanding of life’s purpose, thinking about death, especially after significant losses, like divorce or job loss. This is more intense in individuals with a heightened sense of possessiveness.

A primary symptom of tuberculosis, and other lung problems, is coughing. Psychosomatically, people cough due to unexpressed ideas. Attacks of suffocation indicate intense fear.

Coughing up blood, often accompanying tuberculosis, suggests a draining of life force. It occurs when an individual feels powerless and oppressed, forced to submit to circumstances.

Tuberculosis arises against the backdrop of a sad, monotonous life, and obsessive thoughts. The person feels trapped by circumstances, suffering, and anger due to the situation’s hopelessness. Under stress, old infection sites may reopen, and the disease can become chronic.

Interesting! Susceptibility to the bacterium is influenced by various factors: age, psychological and health characteristics, overall resistance, genetics, hormonal balance. These determine whether the body will conquer the infection or not.

Tuberculosis According to Louise Hay

Louise Hay believes tuberculosis stems from a person’s cruelty, vengefulness, and selfishness. These patients are prone to wastefulness and suffer from an exaggerated sense of possession.

Affirmation for healing: “By loving and approving of myself, I create a calm and joyful world to live in.”

Tuberculosis According to Vladimir Zhikarentsev

Like Louise Hay, Vladimir Zhikarentsev sees the disease’s root in selfishness. The person is so obsessed with their ideas and dark thoughts of revenge and achieving goals that they literally consume themselves. They are characterized by ruthlessness, willing to exploit others.

Affirmation for healing: “When I love and approve of myself, I create a world around me filled with joy and peace, where I want to live.”

Tuberculosis According to Liz Bourbeau

According to Liz Bourbeau, lung problems indicate an inability to enjoy life. The person is tormented by thoughts, pain, and sorrow, in a state of deep despair or disillusionment, not wanting to live. This could be because they or someone else doesn’t allow them to breathe freely.

What to do: Understand that you control your life. Allow yourself to enjoy life, to breathe fully. Be socially active, learn to accept and listen to others. Find a balance between altruism and selfishness.

Tuberculosis According to Valery Sinelnikov

Valery Sinelnikov links tuberculosis to depression, melancholy, and sadness. Subconsciously, you’ve been accumulating aggression and irritation towards yourself, the world, life, and others for years. You reject your life and are dissatisfied with it. Sinelnikov asserts that tuberculosis always stems from old emotional wounds. The disease is a response to tiredness from constant upheavals, disappointment, and despair.

Other potential causes of tuberculosis:

• Feeling cornered;
• Excessive responsibilities;
• Working without rest;
• Intense sorrow, disappointment;
• Inability or incapacity to influence others;
• Denial of deserved rewards or acute needs;
• Inability to relax and unwind (due to guilt and resentment).

Why do pulmonologists advise patients to walk more, breathe fresh air, and eat well? Because it’s crucial for restoring harmony and enjoying life. Tuberculosis used to be called consumption. So, stop wasting away and start living.

Treatment and Prevention

Treating tuberculosis involves attending psychotherapy sessions and medication. Chemotherapy is prescribed by a pulmonologist, who also regularly diagnoses to track the disease’s progress and treatment effectiveness. Sometimes, surgical treatment is required, but this does not negate the need for psychotherapy consultations.

In 1950, Dutch phthisiologist Brofors first established that inflammation sites can rapidly heal following the healing of a client’s psychological wounds. Today, any specialist will confirm that personality correction work is not just a supportive measure. It is as essential as chemotherapy, perhaps even more important.

For correction, individual psychotherapy sessions, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and psychoanalysis are preferable. Treatment can be outpatient or inpatient, but it must be regular. After diagnosis removal, the individual faces re-socialization and readaptation, re-entering the world, making the support of a psychotherapist crucial even after healing.

Changes needed for healing and preventing tuberculosis:

• Eliminate negative and torturous thoughts.
• Learn to express emotions, desires, and opinions.
• Forgive grievances.
• Learn to love yourself and others (a selfish person actually loves no one, not even themselves).
• Take responsibility for your life, stop blaming others.
• Rid yourself of cruelty and vengefulness.
• Subdue your instincts.

Embrace joy, love, compassion in life. Learn to be yourself and enjoy life. Reject imposed beliefs. It might be time to change your job or field of activity, find a new hobby, change your social circle. Realize that all this time, you harbored hatred within yourself because you were unhappy, and you were unhappy because you were not living your own life.

Important! Treatment may require the use of antidepressants and sedatives, but only a psychotherapist can prescribe them.