First of all, thank you for your patience.

I suffer from acute GERD. GERD is:

​GERD stands for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, and by definition, it is a chronic (long-term) condition. When people use the phrase “acute GERD,” they usually mean one of two things: a temporary, sudden flare-up of chronic GERD symptoms, or a sudden bout of standard acute acid reflux (heartburn).

The best way to explain this is to bridge the gap between physical biology and emotional empath:

When you “absorb” or internalize someone else’s emotional energy, your body isn’t just reacting psychologically – it is triggering a physical, chemical chain reaction. Because you I am born with severe GERD, your digestive system is essentially my body’s emotional barometer.

Here is exactly what is happening inside my body when those emotions hit, to truly understand the depth of what I experience:

​1. The Second Brain: The Gut-Brain Axis

​The human gut and the brain are deeply connected by a massive network of nerves called the Enteric Nervous System (ENS), often called the “second brain.”

When I internalize someone else’s heavy emotions—whether it’s their anxiety, anger, or grief—your brain registers that emotional weight as a literal threat or stressor. It immediately sends distress signals down the vagus nerve directly to your stomach. For a natural empath with congenital GERD, this connection is hypersensitive. My stomach feels the emotional storm before my mind even has time to process it.

​2. The Stress Response and Acid Production

Once those internalized emotions hit my nervous system, my body shifts into a “fight-or-flight” state. This triggers a biological cascade:

• Surging Acid: The stress response signals my stomach lining to overproduce gastric acid.
• ​The Sphincter Weakens: Stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline can cause the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (the muscular valve that keeps stomach acid down) to relax or spasm.
• Delayed Digestion: My body diverts energy away from digestion, causing stomach contents to sit stagnant, building upward pressure.

Because my GERD is chronic and severe, my physical “valve” is already vulnerable. Add the sudden tidal wave of someone else’s internalized stress, and the acid has nowhere to go but up.

​3. Visceral Hypersensitivity (The Pain Amplifier)

​There is a medical phenomenon called visceral hypersensitivity. In people with emotional GERD, the nerve endings in the esophagus are incredibly raw and sensitive.

​When you absorb emotional pain, your nervous system amplifies your physical pain receptors. This means that a level of acid that might give someone else mild heartburn feels like a wildfire in your chest. The emotional pain and the physical burning fuse together, making the physical symptoms feel incredibly intense and overwhelming.

​4. The Biological Cost of Empathy

For you to truly get it, they need to understand that your empathy has a physical toll.

When you carry someone else’s burden, you aren’t just being a good listener; your body is literally digesting their stress. Your stomach becomes the battleground for emotions that don’t even belong to you. It is a profound, exhausting cycle where an open heart directly results in a physical flare-up.

And that is where I am at now…

It has been 7 stages of Mad Max with my poor tummy.

At this time I feel like a bit of Indiana Jones. Or, should I say “I am India Jones”. Thoughts? I have never been to India, but… I am full of Libra love honesty.

Man we have so much to talk about. Great love. Great loss. Death. Birth. Mortality and future. Future.

Never forget how much I miss you, and I love you. I respect you. 😊

But, sometimes I am hurting, or in pain, I can’t write.

Any how, I promise, our adventures abound. I am back to writing.

Hey? I gotta question. Is it harder to make friends when we become adults?

{{{Hugs}}}

Namaste

L