There are three main kinds of disease which are caused by emotions: Stress induced, self-inflicted, and denial.

Stress induced disease is the kind that modern medicine is most familiar with. We are all familiar with stress, and rarely a week goes by without a new article or news story announces a new study showing that stress is a factor in . . . heart disease, cancer, blood pressure, migraines, depression . . . the list is long, and keeps growing. Everyone has advise for how to reduce stress, from meditation to diet to a complete life style change. What few of them address is what stress is, other then high blood pressure and tight muscles.

A stress point, in a physical structure, is a location where pressure from several different directions converges. When something is 'stressed to the breaking point' is means that two unbalanced and opposing pressures have overcome the strength of the structure. In emotional or mental stress, you are the stress point. The emotions you feel, and the demands of your mind (I should do better, work harder, make more, etc.) are the pressures that converge on you.

As an example, consider a big project a work, where your boss is constantly moving up the deadline. You need to keep reworking your time table, but the time you spend planning the project is time you're not actually working on it, and any time you spend planning, you are also thinking about how you should be working (2 opposing pressures: have to vs. should). You want this project to succeed, but you've been paired with a co-worker you can't stand (2 more pressures: you want to do well on the project vs. you don't want to work with your partner). And while you know it's not your bosses fault the deadline keeps moving up, you can't help resenting the constant demands, and who can blame you? (you're trying not to blame your boss vs damn it, who can't he be reasonable: a final 2 pressures). That's six different emotions/thought patterns, each trying to push you in a different direction, from just one part of your life. I'm sure you can think of other pressures that can come from this situation (maybe you're yearly review is riding on this project). Once you factor in the rest of your job, relationships with co-workers, family, friends, the dog will not STOP chewing on your shoes . . . That's a hell of a lot of pressure.

In order to protect you from this pressure, your body becomes a release valve. When the mental and emotional pressures start to become to

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