And, importantly, she may also take up a campaign to disassociate herself from all signs of weakness. Her illness will not be a stain on her reputation. She is not a failure. And she will make sure of this, even if she has to lock certain things away — symptoms, feelings, needs — like a telltale heart, thumping in the basement. This behavior is regardless of the severity of whatever syndrome she is dealing with. One WOMI I know calls this the “boom/bust cycle,” and it is so very understandable. Because in the beginning, a WOMI has no idea what is going on, and certainly does not see her body as a temple . That concept is just not part of our culture. Her body is a vehicle that gets her brilliant head from one location to another. She is calmly aware she might be driving a lemon, but when the thing begins to show real signs of wear, she has learned to bang the dashboard and use her force of will to keep it moving—no matter what. Her answer to a sputtering car is to floor it.