Do you know chemical sensitivity? For more than a year on the internet and on the networks, we finally talk about hypersensitivity without fear. Which is good because finally people dare, talk about their gift or nightmare, it all depends on how we managed it.Chemical hypersensitivity is much more complex than it seems. Here is a small explanation, followed by a testimonial.
Hypersensitivity
Already what is hypersensitivity?
Hypersensitivity, as the word suggests, refers to a greater sensitivity, higher than average, or even extreme. This concerns about 20% of the population (and yes anyway). To give you an example, for those who have had a pregnancy, this corresponds to the phase where the pregnant woman feels everything in an exacerbated way in her daily life (x10). It is therefore a hypersensitivity to emotions as you have been able to understand. But not that! Hypersensitivity to noise can be accompanied by it: the person can no longer tolerate a noise. There is also a photosensitivity called hypersensitivity to light which results in glare caused by the sun or car headlights at night. Hypersensitivity to tastes to a point where the person can no longer eat certain foods and finally olfactory hypersensitivity like a pregnant woman who can no longer stand certain odors. You will understand: it is quite complicated to live for some.
Chemical hypersensitivity
Is chemical hypersensitivity like emotional hypersensitivity?
A little yes but except that the body responds very negatively to these stimuli. Especially olfactory. The chemically hypersensitive person feels odors more strongly and this causes a lot of problems in their daily lives. More specifically, the term used in the United States "Toxicant-induced Loss of Tolerance" or MCS "multiple sensitivity to chemicals". First of all, it is not a disease strictly speaking but a syndrome that is recognized as a disabling condition in Germany and Canada but unfortunately not in France… This condition evolves in a similar way, i.e.:
- Induction phase following a toxic episode or exposure to a chemical.
- Phase of constitution of the affection, the biological triggering of the body, important reaction to certain chemical molecules (even flowers, plants …)
- Evolutionary phase, high sensitivity even at minimal dose with significant respiratory reactions such as asthma without being really (unless you already suffer from it at the base), vagal type discomfort so nausea, tremors, blurred vision, urge to urinate. Also spasmophilia-type attacks, sudden fear, stress, palpitation, a feeling of not mastering anything. But still problems such as ENT, sore throat, earache, sinusitis. Rheumatoid type pain in the neck, cervical and finally digestive problems with intolerances to certain foods. It is often confused with fibromyalgia but it is often associated with it despite everything.
All these symptoms vary depending on the person, climate, lack of sleep, alcohol intake, diet or stress. To avoid these crises the only solution to date is AVOIDANCE. We will readapt our daily lives: stop household products except white vinegar which is a powerful disinfectant, which was once used by our great-grandmothers. Lemon and baking soda to whiten, deodorize and uncrust.
We still notice that these hypersensitive chemical people are very often at the base hypersensitive emotionally "sponge" (see the 1st description). Be careful this does not mean that if you are emotionally sensitive you will become hypersensitive chemically. It is necessary to be poisoned by chemicals over several years for this evil to be triggered or following big emotional shocks.
So how do we France do it?
Well there is an association called SOSMCS, they have a website that explains everything. They will also refer you to a doctor who specializes in this field to give you tests. Otherwise you have to go to Germany or Canada…
Aureo-thelife and chemical hypersensitivity
I've been hypersensitive at my base since I was a child. I am also allergic to dust mites, cypresses and plane trees. I also had a lot of emotional shocks, death, illness, separations (abandonment conflict). Being very sensitive emotionally, I suffered a lot but I always fought. I compensated with my jobs and activities. I had become hyperactive to avoid grinding black as we say at home. I worked mainly as a social worker (hence my contact with chemicals more or less strongly). Then one day my body started to launch me: one, then two alarm signals, I was exhausting myself. In a bad mood, I could no longer manage my daily life. My allergies became more intense with early asthma. Nocturnal anxiety attacks, waking up sweating… This phase lasted a total of 3 years with lots of different doctors who did not understand anything.
Then one day, too tired, I began to bear some smells, certain perfumes, certain flowers, certain chemicals (bleach at first). I was uncomfortable at work, I had to bring the firefighters several times, a horror. It was like vagal discomfort at first. Then having a hernia in my stomach, I also started to have digestive problems, swallowing after eating certain foods. Then I started to have a great discomfort in my eyes. I could no longer stand the light, the reverberation of the sun with sensations of constant malaise. I had to stop my main activity which had become too complicated for me and in addition I thought I would die. So I started searching on the internet (thank you GOOGLE), discomfort, smell, photosensitivity. And I found the site SOSMCS * which explains everything from A to Z, also testimonials and there I fall from the clouds. I discover myself hypersensitive chemically. I contacted the only doctor in my area: Dr. Tournesac (unfortunately he went to Switzerland but he remains a doctor). I explained everything to him and he gave me the test. Verdict, I am hypersensitive multiple chemical.
He told me to avoid chemicals and change the way I live. I will summarize it roughly, but it would take me 10 pages to explain everything. Following this, I consulted a psychologist for CBT therapy. But on me it didn't work. The mind takes a big hit. And go explain this to others, even doctors who often take you for an enlightened one. Today, I changed my life. My daily life is not easy but I try to shape it so that I am normal. I avoid flowers, places where there is too much smell. I always take my sunglasses and ventoline on me (it reassures me). I try to use as much as possible healthy products and without too many odors or not. I no longer eat seafood (heavy metals), or exotic fruits (intolerant), I avoid dairy products that tend to irritate my throat because I have a great sensitivity at this level.In conclusion: we must fight, we do not die. It is certainly very restrictive, but you have to reorganize and avoid too much stress.
I hope that this testimony will allow some people like me to feel less alone because loneliness hurts even more.
SOSMCS: https://www.sosmcs.org/
