“Of Unknown Origin”

Autoimmune diseases are considered idiopathic, “of unknown origin” and neither the cause of, nor the cure for, the disease are known. They are also becoming more frequent. In the last half-century, the rate of autoimmune disease has risen sharply in the Western world. In 2012 the American AutoImmune Related Diseases Association said “the rapid increase in autoimmune diseases clearly suggests environmental factors are at play.” (Maté. The Myth of Normal. 2022. Pg 73).

To deepen the mystery further, there is a gender disparity. 70 – 80% of sufferers are women. This is an international trend.

What has become increasingly clear, however, is the link between stress and the onset of the autoimmune disease. It has been observed that psychological trauma and physical trauma play an important role in the generation of autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, muscular dystrophy and other such diseases.

Do you live with an autoimmune disease? When you were diagnosed, or noticed the first symptoms of the disease, were you under psychological or physical stress? Is it possible that your environment played a role in your disease surfacing when it did?