How to Address the Root Cause and Heal Yourself

In today’s world of instant gratification, the art of finding and fixing the root cause of any ailments has since become a second thought. If you have joint pain, the more accepted “solution” is to take medication for it rather than changing your diet and/or lifestyle. If you have skin issues, you’re told that burying your skin under mountains of chemicals is what will fix it. If you’re unhappy, anti-depressants are prescribed, oftentimes without even attempting to uncover what it is that is making you unhappy in the first place. But how can you expect to solve a problem when you haven’t yet identified the cause of it?

Why Finding and Fixing the Root Cause is What Truly Heals You

So many temporary solutions exist in this world, but they’re just that: temporary. At the end of the day, you’re still left with the problem, and in many cases, the side effects of those temporary solutions leave you even worse off than before. Masking the problem is the simplest and easiest way to deal with it, but it is never a substitute for a cure. Yes, there are times when a temporary solution is necessary, but the goal of it is to help you until you can find a more permanent solution. 

Identifying the root cause can take time, and sometimes finding the right solution for it can be just as time consuming. However, by putting in the effort to discover what it is that is actually causing the issue, not only will you learn how to become more aware of and in tune with your body, you will have a better chance of healing the problem wholly. 

The Danger of Instant Gratification

While there are definitely circumstances in which a temporary solution is needed until a permanent one can be found, it does not dissolve the need to find a permanent one. And though temporary solutions can be helpful, it’s important not to become too reliant on them. Whether it’s the use of pain medication for a cold, finding happiness in another person instead of yourself, using drugs for weight management or muscle gain, or facials and other chemicals to hide skin issues, these are all examples of masks that hide the root cause of an issue or provide instant gratification. The problem with these is that you’re ignoring your body and what it’s trying to tell you it needs. 

Example: Skin Issues

Skin issues can mean excess inflammation in the body, imbalance of vitamins and minerals, poor gut health, stress, and so much more. While chemical skincare, a drug, or consistent facials may provide relief, that underlying cause is still there. Worse, it will continue to manifest in other ways (often more severe) until it is addressed. 

Example: Pain Medication for a Cold

Using pain medication for a cold will provide relief from the symptoms, but when your body is sick, it needs rest and time to heal itself. When you hide your symptoms, yes you feel better, but with that, you begin to do more, putting more stress on your body. In some cases, this can even prolong the illness. 

Example: Finding Happiness in Another Person

To a degree, we need codependency. A human being needs to feel depended on, and needs to depend on someone else. However, when you place the responsibility of your happiness on another (i.e. “I’ll only be happy when I have a boyfriend/girlfriend, when I get married, when I have kids, when this person does xyz for me”, etc) you create an unhealthy relationship with both the other person and yourself. Moreover, you will always be left feeling disappointed because that person will not be able to give you what you need, no matter how hard they may try. That person is a mask used to make you feel better when the real issue is that you’re not happy with yourself. Until you address that, and learn to find happiness from within, you will probably find it difficult to be or stay happy and satisfied. 

How to Find the Root Cause

Because every person is different, there is no single right or wrong way to find the root cause. It is accomplished through a process of trial and error: asking yourself what works and doesn’t work for you specifically. While learning from other people and how they identified and fixed a root cause can definitely lead you in the right direction and provide great insight, ultimately you may find that their solution is not the right one for you. While this type of research and trial and error process is not always easy and can be time consuming, at the end of the day it is what’s going to heal you. 

Guiding Questions

While there is no right or wrong starting point, or way to go about this, here are some guiding questions and suggestions that may help:

  • What is the issue/problem you are looking to find the root cause of?
  • If it is a health issue, look at your diet, your lifestyle, and how often you are moving your body.
    • Are those aspects all healthy and balanced? 
    • Are you eating whole, nourishing foods? 
    • Are you getting daily movement? 
    • Do you prioritize rest?
  • If it is something more internal, such as looking for happiness in external sources, maybe ask yourself why you resort to external sources over yourself.
    • In what areas of your life are you not showing up for yourself the way you need?
    • That thing that you’re craving from an external source, how can you give it to yourself?
    • What beliefs or past traumas could have led you to this feeling and how can you heal them? 
  • Know that you already have everything that you need within you to find the root cause and heal it.

Final Thoughts

Throughout all this, remember to be kind to and patient with yourself. You can’t fail at something if you never give up. And though it’s much harder to find and fix the root cause, it is much more rewarding when you finally discover it and are able to heal yourself, rather than relying on temporary masks or treatments and allowing the underlying condition to worsen. 

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