The liver is the largest gland in the human body, responsible for detoxifying toxic substances, synthesizing vital protein substances, forming glycogen and bile, participating in lymph formation, regulating blood clotting, and playing a significant role in metabolism.
The most common liver diseases include:
- Viral hepatitis (A – intestinal infection, B and C – sexual and blood-borne infections);
- Metabolic disorders (fatty liver disease, hemochromatosis – a hereditary disease);
- Toxic damage (alcoholic hepatitis, steatosis – accumulation of fat deposits, fibrosis and cirrhosis);
- Autoimmune damage (primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis associated with impaired bile delivery to the intestine);
- Malignant tumors (hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatoblastoma, cystadenocarcinoma, angiosarcoma).
Symptoms of liver diseases include:
- Numbness in muscles,
- A feeling of cold in the fingers of hands and feet,
- Changes in nail shape,
- Burning, skin itching,
- Hot flashes,
- A feeling of heaviness in the right hypochondrium,
- Weakness,
- Jaundice,
- Sclera (damage to the outer shell of the eyes),
- Swelling,
- Changes in the color of urine and stool, as well as stool disorders,
- Tendency to bleed,
- Fragility of vessels and the appearance of hematomas (bruises),
- Increased sweating,
- Bitterness in the mouth in the morning, unpleasant odor and plaque on the tongue,
- Enlarged liver,
- Increased abdominal size and the appearance of a venous pattern on it,
- Rapid weight loss,
- Skin rashes,
- Headaches and memory problems,
- Disturbances in the nervous and hormonal systems (fatigue, drowsiness, apathy, sleep disturbances, dizziness, sexual disorders).
Specific signs of liver damage that manifest on the skin include darkening of the skin in the armpits, dark circles and swelling under the eyes, brown spots and deep wrinkles between the eyebrows, brown spots on the right shoulder and scapula, rash with blackheads on the forearms and back of the hand, bright red symmetrical spots on the palms (so-called ‘liver palms’).
For women, signs of liver disease also include vascular spiders on the skin, stretch marks (stripes in the abdomen area), the appearance of bruises even with minor skin impact, reduced hair growth or excessive hairiness in the armpits, atrophy of the mammary glands, menstrual cycle disorders.
In men with liver damage, hair thinning or baldness, as well as libido disorders, are observed.
Since the liver has no nerve endings, pain syndrome at the initial stage of diseases is absent.
Among the causes of liver damage are:
- Body intoxication (working in harmful production),
- Long-term medication use (antibiotics, antifungal drugs, hormones, etc.),
- Viral infections (hepatitis A, C, B),
- Infectious and parasitic diseases,
- Alcohol,
- Improper nutrition,
- Heredity,
- Internal organ injuries,
- Radiation exposure, etc.
Psychosomatics of the Liver
Psychologist E. Guskova offers an interesting explanation of the psychosomatics of the liver. Noting that the liver is an organ synthesizing and transforming substances necessary for the body, she explains the occurrence of its diseases as a manifestation of deficiency.
Thus, she writes that the lack of food or something else in life (love or money) and the experiences due to this (dissatisfaction, indignation, anger) affect the liver.
This is explained by the fact that in case of hunger (and, as known, the human body does not distinguish between physical and non-physical hunger, reacting equally), the liver (namely – atypical liver cells) begins to produce even more digestive enzymes.
At the same time, Guskova notes that if the deficiency lasts a long time, atypical cells turn into cancer cells, but if the situation is resolved, the tumor itself disintegrates through inflammation in the liver.
Author of psychosomatics works M. Voronov asserts that the basis of liver diseases is suppressed anger (passive anger, or anger directed inward). He explains the mechanism of action of this destructive emotion as follows. When a person suppresses their anger, hormones norepinephrine and cortisol are produced. Due to norepinephrine, the walls of blood vessels constrict, blood pressure increases, and heart rate quickens. Cortisol suppresses the human immune system (if this occurs constantly, it can lead to the destruction of the thymus gland, responsible for immunity).
Voronov notes that cirrhosis has an autoimmune nature. This means that a person has an internal problem – self-hatred (towards their body, its needs). This weakens detoxification processes, and the body becomes poisoned by its own life products (suppressed anger and dissatisfaction, malice, hatred).
The cause of hepatosis, according to his practice, is a difficult life path with suppression of dissatisfaction.
N. Vitorskaya believes that fibrosis is caused by a lack of morality, lack of mental discernment, indifference, no desire to change anything in one’s life, and predominance of egoism in relationships.
Psychological Causes of Liver Diseases
Louise Hay considers the liver to be the locus of anger and primitive emotions. In her view, liver diseases indicate constant complaints; looking for faults to deceive oneself; feeling not good enough.
According to Hay, the psychological causes of hepatitis are the unwillingness to change anything, fear, anger, hatred. The causes of jaundice, she says, are internal and external reasons for prejudice and imbalance.
Lise Bourbeau writes that in metaphysics, the liver symbolizes a reservoir where suppressed anger accumulates. On the physical plane, the liver begins to be affected in people who do not release their anger outward but suppress it, trying to appear calm when they are offended. Bourbeau notes that such behavior leads to the gradual accumulation of bitterness and sadness in the soul, leading to liver damage.
She believes that the overall metaphysical meaning of liver diseases explains the expression ‘to be full of bile’. This means that liver problems appear when a person starts to get angry and worry instead of showing flexibility and adapting to the situation. According to her, such a person fears consequences, fears losing something. Due to the failure to adapt in a given situation, they experience disappointment and anger.
Considering the coordinating work of the liver, Bourbeau asserts that problems with this organ indicate poor coordination in one’s life. Such a person, instead of adapting to events or people, starts to judge them, trying to change them. In her opinion, such behavior blocks the movement of the heart by excessive mental activity.
People suffering from liver ailments also tend to want to be right and cannot empathize with others, resulting in resentment.
Cirrhosis, according to Bourbeau, is the most serious liver disease, signaling to a person that they need to take control as soon as possible. She believes that such a person has reached their physical, emotional, and mental limit and can only heal themselves.
Bourbeau asserts that if a person with cirrhosis does not change their lifestyle, they will destroy themselves. Therefore, they should stop rebelling and stop believing that life is unfair.
Reiki specialists Bodo Baginski and Sharamon Shalila write that the liver assesses what is acceptable for a person and what is not. Hence, they claim, this organ expresses judgment, as well as measure and immoderation in a person’s life. According to their position, the liver also symbolizes the realm of higher human development and evolution. Additionally, the liver is in relation to the spiritual component in a person.
The psychosomatics of jaundice, according to these authors, is as follows: there is something where a person clearly overdoes it, acts prejudicially and one-sidedly, has ‘colored’ (i.e., not corresponding to reality) perceptions.
Hepatitis as inflammation of the liver, according to Bodo and Sharamon, indicates an existing conflict (when a person experiences fear, anger, annoyance due to a lack of objective assessment).
The psychosomatics of cirrhosis, according to Reiki specialists, is simple: obviously, the person has not learned anything from previous diseases, has not made conclusions, nothing has changed in their inner world, their worldview remains the same. Therefore, the body of such a person makes its last demand, and it depends on them whether they will turn the steering wheel of their consciousness by one hundred and eighty degrees.
V. Sinelnikov also believes that people with liver disease suppress anger, irritation, malice towards someone. The doctor notes that people with liver disease often have diseased joints, responsible for bringing aggressive feelings into action.
He writes that such people are filled with bitter thoughts, as indicated by the bitterness in the mouth in the mornings; that they are characterized by pride, which does not allow them to get rid of old angry and bitter thoughts. They are also prone to constant complaints and a tendency to justify their own fault-finding.
Paths to Healing Psychosomatic Liver Diseases
Many psychologists and authors on psychosomatics agree on one thing: it is essential for a patient to learn to approach life situations calmly, consciously, and thoughtfully, rather than reacting violently, abruptly, and irrevocably.
Even if one fails to restrain themselves or control their reaction in time, there is always an opportunity to analyze and free oneself from negative emotions.
For this process to be effective, Reiki specialists Bodo Baginski and Sharamon Shalila suggest the following guiding questions:
- In which area are you immoderate?
- Where is there something you can no longer tolerate, which might even be toxic for you?
- Are the scales of your assessment of what’s happening still acceptable, or are you getting irritated and complaining about many things?
- Do you have excessively high ideals?
- How is your connection with your inner essence (soul)?
Sincere desire to heal and honest answers to these questions will help you find the path to healing. This path involves finding understanding, freedom, love, and trust in life within oneself. After gaining these qualities, it becomes easy to be tolerant of other people and their apparent shortcomings. You will realize that everyone has the right to be themselves (just like you) and that everyone is deserving of Love (just like you).
Stay healthy and never forget that life is truly beautiful!
Lada
