Healing Metaphors A-Z - Asthma

Asthma
Spasms of the bronchial tubes or swelling of their mucous membranes is the cause of asthma. Wheezing and shortness of breath symptoms of this condition, which comes about as a result of sadness. Asthma occurs from a state of fusion with a parental figure: usually, but not always, our mother. Here the pun shows strongly in American English, Asthma = ‘As ma.’ We feel we are not able to have a life of our own, because we are living for our mother. In this fusion we feel our mother’s feelings and are trying to carry her emotionally. We don’t feel able to pursue our goals and there are areas of sacrifice in our life. We perceive a greater need to help or save others and therefore we give up on our own life. This giving up may be covered over by dissociation and independence. Asthma reflects major levels of fusion, co-dependency and ‘enabling’ others rather than truly helping. We have these traps when we are afraid of our purpose, gifts or moving forward in general.

Chuck Spezzano and Janie Ticehurst, Healing the Body Through Mind and Metaphor