After a trauma, it’s difficult to know when the healing process in your body has begun. Not just physically, but also mentally.
You might feel like you will never think positively anymore and that you’ll never get better. In fact, when recovering from either a physical injury, an operation, or a mental breakdown, it’s very common to think that you’ll be feeling like this forever.
But that’s not the case at all. As much as it doesn’t seem like it at the moment, your body is healing and processing – and you’re getting better, too. Some of these symptoms may be annoying, and you might think that they’re not pointing towards your healing, but they are.
Maintain an element of positive thinking and learn to recognize the signs that your body is healing and getting ready to move on. Take a look at some symptoms that your body is healing the way it should, even if you think it isn’t.
Here Are 10 Signs Your Body Is Healing The Way It Should
1. An Itch
Itching is normally one of the most common signs of your body healing, from surface wounds to autoimmune conditions. Itches are never pleasant, and we always try to slather any kind of relief ointment on them whenever we can. However, they are a sign that your blood flow is being directed to the places that need healing most.
That’s why tattoos itch so much, too. A tattoo is basically one big open wound that’s healing. If you’ve just had surgery, your skin will itch as well as the wound tries to heal. So, try not to scratch your itches. Persevere with them and remember that they’re a sign of good changes taking place in your body.
2. Weight Loss
Another uncommon sign of getting better is losing weight – yes, losing, rather than gaining. In fact, with most injuries and mental illnesses, weight gain is a symptom or sign that something’s wrong.
If you start losing weight or getting back into shape, that means that your energy is being used in the right way: towards being productive rather than being stagnant. Losing weight means that your weight is going to the right places to speed up the healing process.
According to nutrition.gov, a healthy weight loss program includes a reasonable weight loss goal, a balanced diet plan, regular exercise, and developing good habits. Another component of weight loss that many people neglect involves looking after mental and emotional health.
High-stress levels and negative emotions can increase cortisol levels, making you overeat, crash diet, and hold onto excess weight.
Emotional and mental health are just as important to your weight loss goals as physical health, because you cannot have a healthy body without looking after your mind, too. Try to have a daily relaxation practice that includes meditation or yoga, which will help you lower cortisol levels and have a clearer, happier mindset.
3. A Desire To Be Alone
The body heals best in solitude. If you want to be alone, that means you don’t feel dependent on other people anymore in order to feel better. Even if it doesn’t feel like it, that’s very good progress. Oftentimes, people who care about you will get the signals and leave you alone, but sometimes you need to voice your choice.
When you’re on your own, you’ll get the chance to sleep, recuperate, rest and not worry about anyone’s wellbeing but yours. Embrace the moments of solitude as they help you make the next steps towards getting better.
If you have a desire to run away into a forest for a few hours, days, or even weeks, that means your mind and spirit need some serious healing. Most people don’t have the luxury of simply running away from their problems in order to heal, but if you do, listen to your spirit’s call to nature. Being alone doesn’t have to mean feeling lonely; it can mean just the opposite, actually.
Solitude provides you the clarity of mind and sense of peace you need to tap into your deepest emotions and process them. You can’t adequately engage in contemplation in our noisy, hectic world, so take the time you need to dive into your inner spirit. Maybe you’ll get some long-awaited answers that will guide you on your healing journey.
4. An Increase In Your Pain Or Other Symptoms
Now normally, if you start hurting more, you think that your condition has gotten worse. That’s normal, as at this point, your brain is so used to connecting the pain to your condition that it can’t do anything else. Actually, the worst pain happens right before the healing process starts for good. This is because vital energy is being released to the parts of your body that need it most, whereas the old, hurt parts are being shed. Naturally, they fight it, but not for long.
When it comes to emotional pain, especially, we often go through dark storms before seeing the light again. Going through something traumatic puts your body and mind into a state of shock, so naturally, healing from whatever you went through won’t come easily. It will take time, patience, letting go of emotions, and processing your feelings in order to move on.
Give yourself compassion and know that healing doesn’t happen in one day, so take your time to feel better. Life will go on, but you’re allowed to slow down and focus on you if you need to.
5. Your Emotions Go Into Overdrive
This is very common with surgery patients. The body releases a lot of endorphins in order to manage the pain, so naturally, this will affect your mood. You’ll feel down. You might feel like you’ve made a great mistake and your life has been ruined forever. This emotion is normal, and it gets better. Those thoughts are, once again, a natural part of the healing process that you’re going through. They signify that your body is healing.
Whether you’re healing from an emotional or physical wound, you’ll have to process your emotions either way. Physical injuries take a lot out of you, too, and depending on the severity, you might require counseling to move through your feelings. When we have a lot of heavy feelings, it often signals that we need to pay attention to our inner voice.
Maybe our higher self has been trying to communicate with us and give us signs to take a different direction in life or pay more attention to our healing. Make sure you take time to process your emotions instead of stuffing them away, as this will only slow down the healing process.
6. An Increase In Appetite
Because your body is using up so much energy, you will feel hungry all the time when you’re recovering. Make sure to keep a balanced, healthy diet, and give your body plenty of energy boosters. Avocados, for example, are great for health, as are fresh greens and pretty much any fresh produce you can get your hands on. Avoid concentrated food and drinks like coffee or alcohol, as those will only confuse your emotions.
Stick to organic food for the best results. Also, to get the full effects of healing, stay away from processed foods as well. You’ll want to eat as much natural food as possible in order to get your mind, body, and spirit in a good place.
Also, you might feel hungrier if you just had a major surgery or were in the hospital for an extended period of time because you probably were in a caloric deficit for much of the time. Make sure to nourish your body and give it what it needs to recover.
7. Relaxed Muscles
When you’re ill, the one overwhelming (and constant) feeling you get is tension. Your muscles are constantly tense and you’re wound up like a string. After a long healing progress, this will be the symptom of healing you’ll welcome with the most relief. You’ll feel your muscles turn into jelly. Now’s a great time to talk a partner or a family member into giving you a long, much-needed massage. It also shows that your muscles are no longer impeding the right blood flow in your body.
Emotional or physical trauma will cause a lot of tension in your body, which makes your muscles tighten. When you begin to heal, you’ll notice you feel a lot calmer, which will allow your whole body to relax, including your muscles. If you need help in relaxing your muscles, here’s a guide to help you.
8. Time Slows Down
Stress can make your body feel like time’s going too quickly and you never have time for anything. Because you’re so high-strung and ready to pounce at every moment, your perception of time gets warped. As you start healing, you’ll notice time slowly going back to its normal pace. You’ll feel like you have time for everything again.
This is also a part of going back to your normal, healthy routine. One main reason that time will feel like it’s moving slower is that you’ll be solely focused on healing as opposed to juggling a bunch of other responsibilities. You may have other things to take care of, but you’ll minimize your tasks in order to heal quicker.
Maybe you’ll ask others to help you out while you get your mind and body back in tip top condition. Family and friends will gladly assist you during your time of need, especially if you’ve just had a surgery or been sick for a while.
9. A Cracking Spine
Especially when it comes to healing from inflammation or autoimmune disease, this is a very useful sign that your body is healing. Because the nerves that have been attacking your body are now getting a bit more space to move, you can know they’ll be sending the right messages to the rest of your body. Inflammation can cause a lot of tension in your muscles and bones, so when you begin healing, you might notice your spine becoming looser, causing it to crack. This is perfectly normal and nothing to be concerned about.
However, you shouldn’t try to “pop” your back on your own, as this can lead to a more serious injury. In fact, some chiropractors believe spinal adjustments aren’t even necessary and instead promote exercise as a way to keep the spine healthy. Consult with a doctor if your spine cracks frequently and involuntarily; this could point to a more serious problem that a stiff spine.
10. You Feel Better
There’s really no other tell-tale sign of healing than the fact that you actually start to feel better. More fulfilled. It hits you unexpectedly one day and it’s great to realize all the progress that you’ve made in a very short time. Embrace it and keep thinking positively about it, and you’ll make it go even faster. Healing is a very personal journey so it’s different for everyone, but no matter how long it takes you to heal, trust the process. Don’t rush it or get frustrated if things aren’t moving along as quickly as you’d hoped.
We all deserve to feel our best, but sometimes, it takes a lot of effort on our part to get there. Especially when it comes to losing weight or healing from emotional trauma, a lot of roadblocks will present themselves along the journey. However, having a support team and believing in yourself will help you achieve success much easier. You might feel like giving up countless times, but just remember your end goal. Remember how great it will feel to finally jump that last hurdle and fully embrace the new you.
Final Thoughts
Healing can’t be rushed. Everybody heals at its own pace. Remember to take every day one step at a time and embrace the healing when it does arrive, doing everything you can to nurture and support it. Make sure to consume as much fresh food as possible, drink plenty of water, move your body as much as it will allow, and engage in relaxation techniques to look after your mind and spirit. Don’t overindulge in alcohol, sweets, or other substances that will only hinder your progress.
Also, pay attention to the company you keep. The people you surround yourself with can either help or hurt your progress, so choose wisely. Above all, remember your worth and trust in your body to heal. The body and mind can handle more than we give them credit for, and we can usually bounce back from whatever life throws our way.
“The body will continue to heal itself, as long as you provide the environment for it to heal.” – Julie Renee
