Skip to content

Environmental Hypersensitivity

When the environment makes you sick

  • Home
    • When Health Depends on the Environment
  • A Question of Biology
    • Introduction
    • The Environmental Sensitivities Cycle
    • Pathways into the body
    • Physical Reaction to Triggering Agents
    • The symptoms
  • Cultural and Social Response
    • Collective Strength
  • A Question of Law
    • Introduction
    • Filing a CSST claim (workers’ compensation
  • Medical Aspects
    • Prevalence
    • Getting a diagnosis
    • Facing the Health Environment
  • Managing the Illness
    • Introduction
  • Toggle search form

Cultural and Social Response

Posted on June 9, 2022June 17, 2022 By ASEQ-EHAQ

One would think, when people affected with environmental sensitivities talk of their difficulties or request accommodation, that they are met with sympathy and understanding. After all, no one claims that their symptoms are not real, even though no consensus exists among researchers as to what most likely causes them.

Unfortunately, both anecdotal experiences from sufferers and scientific studies reveal that the opposite often occurs. People suffering from environmental sensitivities are frequent- ly not taken seriously or people simply don’t believe them. They are marginalized in the workplace and sometimes lose their jobs. Their request for accommodation could result in co- workers wearing more perfume, neighbours spraying more pesticides or janitors using more cleaning products – all of them making it clear that they will make no concessions. They may lose friends who are unwilling to believe that they are unable to go to a shopping centre or a movie theatre. They may even be ostracized by their families. In addition to being ill, sufferers are confronted with hostility from the people around them when they speak of their health or request an accommodation. Of course, this is not always the case. But it is clear that environmental sensitivities generally provoke a more negative reaction than better known chronic conditions such as respiratory difficulties or allergies.

Why do environmental sensitivities arouse such hostility in certain people? Although there is no one definitive answer, certain explanations can be given. First, the legitimacy of any invisible disability (back pain, heart condition, diabetes, etc.), is more likely to be called into question than disabilities that are easily visible (a person in a wheelchair or with a guide dog). Indeed, the physical appearance of people suffering from environmental sensitivities seems quite intact. Therefore, how could they possibly suffer from a serious illness caused by invisible molecules that don’t seem to affect others?

Furthermore, people express their identity and individuality not only through their clothes and hairstyle, but also with the perfumes that they wear. It is through these distinctive traits that they try to make themselves beautiful and desirable. To state that this intimate affirmation of identity poisons the bodies of others is often mistakenly per-

ceived as a personal attack. Moreover, chan- ging the way we wash, style our hair and dress represents more than a mere inconvenience. These rituals and behaviours have a symbolic value that is deeply entrenched in our habits. It is therefore easier to turn against the person with sensitivities than to question oneself and the majority of the population.

Finally, many people do not want to consider the possibility that chemical pollution, electro- magnetic radiation or mould in buildings could be affecting their body as well. By denying the harm to people suffering from environmental sensitivities, they can continue to believe that they are safe. In fact, many authors connect the negative response to environmental sensitivities with the long- term threat that they pose to both our economic system based on industrial development and to our current lax approach in managing the risks associated with the production of toxic chemical subs- tances and our use of modern technologies.

Regardless of the reasons for the hostility directed at people suffering from environmental sensitivities, it is nevertheless unacceptable. To fully understand what those affected go through, it is important to keep in mind that in addition to being ill, sufferers contend with their condition not being recognized and endure hostility aimed at them. As a result, their trust in the people close to them and in people in general, is often severely shaken.

Non classé

Post navigation

Previous Post: Physical Reaction to Triggering Agents
Next Post: Pathways into the body

General information

  • Environmental Sensitivities
  • ​Questions and answers about ES

Legal information

  • Jurisprudence Guide – until 2012 (CSST)
  • Jurisprudence Guide – 2013-2017 (CSST)
  • ​Right to reasonable accommodation
  • ​Letter from the Quebec Human Rights Commission: Protection of the Quebec Charter
  • ​ASEQ's application to the Quebec Human Rights Commission
  • ​Tips for obtaining an accommodation without a lawyer

Managing the illness

  • Tips for taking control of your illness (SEEDS)
  • ​Check List
  • ​Choosing Healthy Household Products
  • Activity and Symptoms Journal

USEFUL LINKS

  • ASEQ-EHAQ – Website
  • ASEQ-EHAQ – Eco Living Guide
  • ASEQ-EHAQ – Affordable Healthy Housing Project
  • www.ewg.org
  • www.lesstoxicguide.ca
  • CSST Toxicological Repertoire – material safety data sheets
  • CHRC Policies
  • Fragrance-free policy
  • Français
What are environmental sensitivities?

People suffering from environmental sensitivities react negatively to all kinds of contaminants (pesticides, cleaning products, solvents, perfumes, mould, electromagnetic radiation, etc.), but at lower levels of exposure that seem to cause no reaction in most people. These reactions can affect multiple systems in the body. In fact, many symptoms can affect several organ systems, such as the respiratory, digestive and nervous systems, as well as the skin. The symptoms can be inconvenient, quite serious, or even debilitating. According to Statistics Canada, environmental sensitivities are becoming an increasingly common health issue.


Are environmental sensitivities similar to allergies?

Environmental sensitivities were first thought to be allergies. In both cases, avoidance of triggers allows the person affected to remain healthy. But with the discovery of allergic-response mechanisms (immunoglobulin E), it became clear these mechanisms were not responsible for causing environmental sensitivities. In both cases, however, chemical contamination is linked to their increased prevalence in the population.


Another ban! Can’t people with sensitivities take into account my right to wear perfume?

In keeping with the “balance of convenience” principle, healthy people should make adjustments to avoid adversely affecting the health of a group of people, no matter how small, especially in cases involving the workplace and shared public places. Accommodating people with environmental sensitivities—no fragrances, better ventilation, least-toxic cleaning products—will improve indoor air quality, and benefit everyone. Smoking is now no longer permitted in the workplace and in public buildings. The same principle should apply for environmental sensitivities. Not only will your fellow citizens and colleagues with sensitivities appreciate the gesture, but so will people suffering from asthma, allergies, and other illnesses such as respiratory and heart diseases.


In Quebec, are environmental sensitivities recognized as an illness?

From a legal and human rights perspective, environmental sensitivities are recognized as being a handicap both in Quebec and Canada. The Commission des lésions professionnelles (CLP) has already recognized the right to CSST compensation for workers who have developed environmental sensitivities after exposure in the workplace.

From a medical perspective, as of 2012, the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services had still not recognized environmental sensitivities and there was no diagnostic code for the disease. Only a few physicians in Quebec are equipped to diagnose this illness. Some Quebecers who suffer from it are sometimes forced to travel to Ontario to receive care. Others increase the number of medical consultations as their health deteriorates.

There are specialized clinics that treat environmental sensitivities in Ontario and Nova Scotia. The European Parliament has asked member-states to recognize environmental sensitivities in their classification of diseases, if they have not already done so. It is time for Quebec to follow suit!


Symptoms are not visible. When people say they are sensitive to toxic substances that don’t affect others, couldn’t it just be “in their mind?”

It is exactly that heightened susceptibility in an individual, whose body is no longer able to defend itself against a multitude of small toxic attacks, which is the defining characteristic of environmental sensitivities. It is true that some environmental sensitivity symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and feeling dazed, dizzy or brain fogged (lack of cognitive function) are imperceptible to others. The person could therefore appear to be physically normal. However, just because the symptoms are not visible does not mean that they are any less real.

Share vos ressources !

Every person with environmental sensitivities is a wealth of information about the resources available in their area of information about the resources available in their area. You know of professionals who are understanding, aware accommodating? The best places to get adequate products or services? or receive services? Why not share them? pool them together?

Send your suggestions

Resources

UQAM - Community Service
TELUQ

Environmental Health Association of Québec

Logo-Quebec inv With the financial participation
of the Ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport.
Translation from French to English was made possible in part by the Department of Canadian Heritage and ASEQ-EHAQ Department of Canadian Heritage
© Environmental Health Association of Quebec (ASEQ-EHAQ), UQAM Community Services, TÉLUQ. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2022 Environmental Hypersensitivity.

Powered by PressBook WordPress theme