Treating Symptoms

Treating Symptoms 

“Taking these pain pills should help,” says the doctor.

When it comes to hiding the pain from an arthritic knee he is right, at least for four or eight or maybe twelve hours. Then the pain is back. Time for more pills. The problem is still there. I know. 

What’s more, taking more pills for even greater pain serves to over work the kidneys. By only treating symptoms more problems are being created. While treating symptoms until the main problem can be dealt with is a wise strategy, but not if there is no intention for further treatment. Suffering from pain is not worth treating symptoms only. Adding more problems is not worth treating symptoms only.

The problems arising from treating symptoms of pain are no different than treating psychological pains. Unless one deals with the underlining problem to depression or ongoing unhappiness the sadness and possibly angry outbursts will continue Those outbursts may hurt others creating new issues that need to be dealt with. The continuation of only treating symptoms can lead the one with psychological scars to conclude that they would be better off dead. 

The life of Jill Kreshky in my novel, Baggage burdens. illustrates how even her husband’s best efforts to treat symptoms succeed to only create temporary happiness. His persistence in trying to make her happy and his continual forgiveness is not enough. Her feeling of unworthiness leaves her open to perceptions of an attack on her personality that throw her into deeper despair, despair that allows her to welcome death as an alternate to life. The last alternate comes twice in her life: once after her car accident and once after her own attempt to become happy fails. She too, was treating her symptoms. 

How do you solve the real problem––low-self-esteem? The answer comes in my companion novel, Helping Hands. It takes a friend and psychologist to reveal her inner strengths and loving nature. Only then can Jill see her worth and tackle the two causes of her poor self-esteem––an unforgiveable teen act and her father’s declaration that her rebellious nature makes her unworthy of love.

 “When you have done things a certain way for so long, change is not easy,” says Jill.

“I know, but I also know that you can change.”

“You’re just being nice, Bill.”

“I’d like to think I’m being more than nice. My confidence in your ability to change is based on facts and your genes.” Bill smiles as he sees Jill’s puzzled look. She isn’t into challenging him. She’s trying to understand him. 

“I think if you ask Daniel, he would say it is very hard to change something that you have believed in all your life. When you and Joseph separated, Daniel told me he had absolutely no doubt that you were the cause. You were so self-centered. Your son claimed you always were. And yet when you apologized to him, when you showed you were concerned for his feelings, he changed. Daniel saw change in you, and he changed. You both have the ability to get over long-held views. And that’s how I know you can get over the effect your father has on you. Does that help?”

Haiku capsule:

Take pain killing pills

Temporary solution

A symptom relief

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