Have you ever wondered if people who get migraines have a special personality?

From the book by Sandra S. Feder

Have you ever wondered if people who get migraines have a special personality? Are there certain things that we have experienced, unique ways that we are constructed, kinks in our personalities or brains that give us the dubious distinction of having some of the worst headache pain on the planet?

The answer may lie in that big Superman "S."

Did One Or More Parents Get Migraines?

Some people believe that migraine headaches may have a genetic component: If one or both of your parents had migraines, there is a greater chance that you will, too.

Of course, just because you and a parent have migraines doesn't mean these headaches are due to genetics. What is equally likely? We learn to respond to situations the same way our parents did, and sometimes that way leads to migraines. (This would actually be a more hopeful situation, since you would have more control over getting rid of your headaches.)


Are You A Perfectionist?

Many migraine sufferers learned early in their lives that no matter what they did, it was never enough.

Maybe they had parents who expected 'straight A's' and they have been trying to get top marks ever since.

Maybe they had teachers who humiliated and/or punished them when they made mistakes or failed -- and they have internalized a fear of failure. That has to be one of the most damaging things you can do to a child. This is how human beings learn: You try, you fail, you try again. But if someone makes you fear failure, you don't just want to avoid failure, you don't even want to TRY.

If you imagine the internal stress that each new challenge produces -- you can understand how this personality type would be prone to migraine headaches.


Are You Driven?

Many migraine sufferers feel they HAVE to achieve. Perhaps as children they had to perform (in academics, sports, music, etc.) in order to get approval and love from authority figures. The learned to connect their self-worth to what they do, rather than to what they are.

As adults, they are incredibly motivated, ambitious workers -- climbing corporate ladders that are unending since the measure for success is external instead of internal. Is it any wonder the pressure leads to a migraine headache?


Are You Critical?

Many migraine sufferers were criticized as children. Authority figures may have thought they were spurring them to achieve their potential, but the lesson that was learned was that there was something basically flawed in them.

As they grew into adults, this became a two-edged sword. They learned to be critical of themselves AND of others. This helped to erode their own self-confidence while putting others at a distance, alienating them. This prevented them from learning how other cope with their symptoms, and cut off the sympathy of those who best understand what they are suffering.


Do You Find It Difficult To Express Your Emotions?

Hiding or suppressing their feelings was a lesson many migraine headache sufferers learned at an early age. Perhaps they saw parents doing this, and copied their behavior. Perhaps they were ridiculed for their feelings, or told that emotions made them weak. Maybe they were criticized or punished for expressing themselves.

Whatever the cause, they grew up unable to process and release their negative emotions. And they learned not to embrace and express the positive emotions that would have made them feel better about themselves and drawn friends to them. Both of these would help them to reduce the stress that creates headache symptoms.


Are You Compelled To Control, Clean, Organize?

A need to be safe probably started this 'compulsion' for many who get migraine headaches. As children, they experienced the stress of unpredictability with authority figures. They felt that their little world could fall apart at any time. They responded by trying to make their environment clean, orderly, organized -- so that their world was knowable, predictable -- and safe.

As adults, these individuals may feel compelled (without knowing why) to control their environment, and even the people in their environment. They may seek managerial positions not because they want to control, but because they do not want to be controlled, and experience the symptoms that this leads to.


Do You Hate Procrastination?

The insecurity of not knowing if something they needed would be delivered made young sufferers of migraines enemies of procrastination. 'Now' was the only comfortable timeframe for something that they needed.

As adults, these people have an aversion to putting things off. It gets under their skin. They have to know that a pending issue is taken care of before they can move on to something else. Knowing there is an open item can lead to the strain and symptoms of a migraine.


Make It Easy On Yourself

Headache Sufferers: Do you know how remarkable you are? Do you have any idea? In spite of all of the trauma you have been through, you persevere and you succeed.You have enormous stamina and drive. And you are creative. With all the obstacles you must overcome, you find a myriad of ways to do it.

But be kind to yourselves. That may not be scientific or quantifiable, but you know what I'm saying. Don't make things more difficult than they have to be. Don't turn yourselves inside out trying to reach your (self-imposed and too-high) goals. Make things easier on yourselves, wherever you can. You are harder on yourselves and more demanding than anyone else is.

Let up. Your head will thank you for it.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Writer Sandra S. Feder had migraines for years. She found 5 areas of imbalance that were connected to her headaches. Stop Migraine Symptoms Naturally is the book she wrote, describing step by step how she stopped her headaches. Read about this book, or sign up for her FREE e-course: 6 Nuggets Of Migraine Help at the website: http://www.avoidamigraine.com

I found this very interesting - I was everything on the list before I went chronic - I simply cannot get stressed out about stuff now - or I go down hill fast.

I still am...I just tell eveyone else not to do all of the above but still make the same mistakes over and over myself..DOH!

All 'yes' for me.

Tee, there are two different nervous systems in our body which work harmoniously with one another. Interestingly, in those who suffer with chronic pain (not just migraines) we can actually MEASURE a discernable disharmony

So I agree, yes there are 'types' who are prone to migraines

Oh I am intrigued - how do you measure this?

Tee,

It's a REALLY weird instrument which measures the balance between your two (sympathetic and parasympathetic) nervous systems. It looks like a little device from Star Trek, when your nervous systems are balanced, they track almost identically with each other. If there is a discrepancy between the two, it shows on the little screen and these types of patients are more likely to have chronic pain problems

Interesting - does the test have a name?

Name has escaped me! I don't use it but have seen it. Technology from the States

When I remember I'll let you know.

Perhaps I'm atypical (but then everything about me seems to be atypical ). The only questions I can answer Yes to is "Did One Or More Parents Get Migraines?" and to a lesser extent "Do You Find It Difficult To Express Your Emotions?". I have been identified as displaying some signs of Asperger's syndrome, so difficulties with expressing emotions may be related to that.

I am far from being a perfectionist, believe they are many routes to the same destination and why rush to a journey's end and miss smelling the roses on the way? I tend to enjoy being the devil's advocate in discussions as I can usually see more than one side of an argument. I remember my daughter getting very cross with me one day, complaining "You're too reasonable!". I'm generally very easy going and seldom get cross, although I'm told I can be a bit cantankerous if I am suffering a lot of pain during a migraine attack. The only time I have been more like the traits in question was during a 2-year stint when I was taking Sandomigran and I don't want to be there again.

Interesting - I am like that now - so very different to when I was not chronic - now I stop and smell the roses everyday - I meditate and live in the NOW......

I'm half and half. I am a champion procrastinator - what do you think I'm doing on here?!