I believe that optimism goes a long way in helping one deal with neuropathy and autoimmune conditions. It certainly is not a death sentence. And, I do note that when under stress, neuropathy seems more prevalent or at least, noticeable. There are times when I hardly feel the neuropathy in my feet. Last night, I was focused on some stressful issues in my life, and voila, the neuropathy felt more pronounced. Weather and other environmental conditions may also play a role. If we could train our brains and emotions to be more optimistic, we could perhaps alleviate our conditions to the point where they don't seem to exist.