As part of our series on positive thinking, last week we asked the question, “Can the mind heal the body?” The answer was twofold. The last post discussed the studies that affirm the “no” response. This week we’ll look at the “yes” side of the equation and discover the ways that the mind and body are intertwined.
If this is the first post you’ve landed at, catch up with us. Here are the first six posts in the series:
- Part 1: Where did ‘The Power of Positive Thinking’ come from?
- Part 2: Mind-Body Goes Mainstream
- Part 3: The Seduction of Positive Thinking
- Part 4: In the Weeds of Positive Thinking
- Part 5: Disconnects
- Part 6: Can the mind heal the body?
Part 7
Let’s return to our question: Can the mind heal the body?
Yes, the mind can impact the body.
I use the word impact because “heal” is a vague and loaded word. Heal to some can mean cure which we learned last week that the mind cannot definitively do. However, heal can also mean create peace which the mind can absolutely do. In this way, yes, the mind can heal the body.
The Stress Response
Walter Cannon, the Harvard researcher, who first saw the connection between external stress and an internal change in body chemistry was absolutely correct. Stress exists. Stress impacts our body. This is something we cannot deny. When we are stressed, our body releases hormones that raise blood pressure, slow digestion and impair the immune system. Most often the stress response is temporary; however, if we are continually stressed, our bodies can be impacted by the constant flood of stress hormones.
The Relaxation Response
Just as we know the stress response exists, we also know that a relaxation response exists. If we can sufficiently relax our bodies and minds, we can stop the flood of stress hormones and bring our body back into a state of homeostasis (a.k.a. peace).
photo credit: h.koppdelaney via photopin cc
John Kabat-Zinn created the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. It is an eight week program designed to train patients in mindfulness-based meditation. You can read about the program and even put yourself through it by getting the book, Full Catastrophe Living.
Kabat-Zinn and his researchers have found that patients who go through the eight weeks of training and faithfully practice the techniques have astounding results. Decreased anxiety, enhanced immunity, decreased pain, improved mood and reduced rates of depression are all documented benefits of mindfulness-based meditation.
If we can slow our minds, we can support our bodies. This doesn’t mean that meditation can “cure” you, but it means that meditation can help your body cope with the stress that comes from a diagnosis. And that is a good thing.
The Placebo Effect
I ranted a few posts back about the misuse of the placebo effect as proof that the mind can heal the body. The main cause of this is the persistence of the self-help industry to assert that the placebo effect can be self administered (read more here).
While the placebo effect isn’t proof that you can cure yourself, the placebo effect is absolutely real and well documented in study after study. It is standard protocol for pharmaceutical companies to test new drugs against a placebo to make sure that the active ingredients in the drug are creating the improvement in the symptoms and not just belief in the drug.
Studies of the placebo effect tell us that it is important to believe in our treatment. We need to trust our doctors, our medications and our body’s ability to heal. This belief alone can benefit the effectiveness of our treatments. This means that if you’re not happy with your doctor, if you don’t feel listened to or if you are not satisfied with your treatment plan, you need to change something. Get a second opinion. Research treatment options. Participate in clinical trials. Find a place that you feel will grace you with healing. This can be just as important as the active ingredients in the medication you take.
Support
Last week, I discussed David Spiegel’s study concerning cancer patients and support groups. While we cannot say that a support group will extend your life, we do know that having support helps us manage the emotional roller coaster that is illness.
Connecting with other people who understand what you are going through is an important part of creating peace in your life – even when the storm rages on around you. I wrote about my experience with this here.
Finding Peace
Healing can mean a lot of things. If we let go of the idea that healing has to be “cure,” we can see that our mind can do a lot for creating peace with our emotions and our body.
The LAST post in this series will be next week. This is where we will put all of the posts together to come up with an action plan for supporting yourself and your body through an illness. Stay tuned…
Looking for practical ways to use the mind-body connection? Check out
Chronic Resilience: 10 Sanity-Saving Strategies for Women Coping with the Stress of Illness.
“I highly recommend this groundbreaking book!”
-Kris Carr, NY Times Bestselling Author