LUNA Helps You: Living Better With Endometriosis Thanks To Sophrology

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects 1 in 10 women. It is a complex disease and we now know that the quantity and depth of the endometriotic lesions is not necessarily responsible for the intensity of the symptoms. In fact, it is possible to have what is known as “superficial” endometriosis with intense chronic pain and disabling daily symptoms and, conversely, to have what is known as “deep” endometriosis with numerous lesions without any symptoms.

Sophrology is interesting for learning to live better with endometriosis and these daily symptoms, namely:

Sophrology can calm the perception and intensity of chronic pain (neuropathic or inflammatory). Indeed, when pain is awakened we produce cortisol (Cortisol is the main glucocorticoid hormone, secreted by the adrenal glands. It regulates carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, ions and water to limit any variation in the physiological balance of the body. It is also involved in the body’s management of stress in response to chronic pain. It allows the release of glucose levels in the blood to nourish the muscles, heart and brain in a situation of prolonged stress1) and adrenaline (Adrenaline is a hormone belonging to the catecholamine family. It is secreted in response to a state of stress, such as intense pain, leading to an increase in heart rate, speed of heart contractions, blood pressure, dilation of the bronchi and pupils. It responds to a need for energy to face danger. Conversely, when we practice sophrology we produce endorphins (endorphins are neuropeptides synthesised by the brain, notably by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus). This hormone plays a key role in the central nervous system and is involved in the reward and pleasure circuits.

It also has an analgesic action: reducing pain and anxiolytic: calming the respiratory rate and stress and dopamine (neurotransmitter, dopamine is a chemical substance secreted naturally in the human body to communicate from one neuron to another. According to Inserm, dopamine is a “pleasure and reward” molecule, which the brain releases when it considers an experience to be beneficial and pleasant), these have the capacity to naturally calm cortisol and adrenaline, thus reducing the sensation of pain and regaining serenity.

Sophrology also allows you to reconnect and reconcile with your body. Indeed, when we suffer from endometriosis, we naturally tend to dissociate ourselves from our body, to resent it, to ignore it and sometimes to mistreat it. This discipline allows us to refocus on ourselves, to learn to listen to ourselves and to become kind to our bodies.

When you have a chronic inflammatory disease such as endometriosis, and you experience symptoms on a daily basis, certain negative emotions can take hold of you. The one that is most often experienced is anger, the feeling of injustice in the face of this sometimes disabling disease. Feeling these emotions on a daily basis increases the feeling of malaise, suffering and isolation. In sophrology we learn to channel, to welcome and to tame these emotions in order not to let them dominate us. We also help the person to modify his or her mental perception (through visualisation in a modified state of consciousness) in order to bring out positive emotions.

Chronic fatigue is one of the main symptoms of endometriosis. Indeed, the nervous system is regularly called upon, which is extremely tiring for the body. Sophrology allows you to regain positive energy but also to learn to listen more to yourself in order to preserve, as far as possible, the energy available. It also helps to regain the desire to engage in activities and the joy of living by encouraging the emergence of the person’s capacities and full potential.

This is an essential part of living better with endometriosis. Accepting that this chronic illness is part of us and trying to tame it as best we can by implementing soothing methods such as breathing, relaxation and dynamic relaxation exercises. Sophrology promotes awareness, acceptance and helps to live with the disease in the most serene way possible.

Surgery for endometriosis is not systematic, it can be recommended in case of pain and disabling symptoms but also in case of infertility. The scheduling of this operation can become a source of anxiety and stress, particularly due to the fear of the unknown, the anaesthetic, the consequences and the possible postoperative pain. Sophrology can help you to prepare yourself as well as possible for the day of the operation. Like a sportsman mentally preparing for a competition, we visualise the details of the day of the operation and we prepare the brain to welcome this moment with calm and serenity. Indeed, the fact that the brain has already “lived” the event mentally will make it less destabilized. In addition, we also allow a form of “letting go” to emerge so that we can allow ourselves to let go and trust the medical body.

We know that 30 to 40% of women with endometriosis have a fertility problem. After having tried naturally to conceive a child, and perhaps having had recourse to surgery, some women begin a course of Medically Assisted Reproduction (MAP). Sophrology helps the person to live serenely through this process, which can be perceived as a “failure” because it reminds the woman of her inability to give birth naturally. During this type of journey, stress can be omnipresent (regular gynaecological examinations, hormone injections causing mood swings that are sometimes significant, waiting for results, fear of failure, etc.). Sophrology can help you find peace, serenity, confidence and a sense of letting go.

When we suffer from symptomatic endometriosis, it is our global environment that is impacted (professional, family, social). The objective of sophrology is essentially to allow us to modify our perception of pain, to tame our body and our feelings and to considerably calm down the so-called “negative” emotions while allowing the “positive” emotions to take more space. This change will lead to a real sense of well-being in everyday life.