Body and Mind
The Interaction Between Body
and Mind
The intermingling of our mind and body may cause the development of either
psycho-somatic or somato-psycho ailments.
In psycho-somatic ailments, stress that lingers for a long time, may have a very negative effect on our body. Since stress reduces the function of the immune system (For more information go to:
"Anxiety Helped Survival"),
microorganisms may overcome our weak defense system and make us sick. Stress causes many parts of our body to over work, in order to react to
the threat in a
"Fight or Flight"
response mode. When stress persists, it may damage the over worked parts, and cause a variety of ailments, such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and gastrointestinal diseases. In some genetic prone diseases, such as certain types of cancer and allergies, stress may cause their early appearance at a young age.
In somato-psycho ailments, part of the body has been damaged, like due to an accident, and the recovery process may be effected by our mind. For instance, if we blame ourselves for the accident, while we hate our job and unconsciously prefer to stay sick for a long time, or if we consciously or unconsciously use our broken leg to receive attention, our recovery may be prolonged, and we may develop medical complications. On the other hand, when our mood is positive, the recovery process may be faster.
Many studies published during the past 30 years, investigated the effectiveness of Guided Imagery, Relaxation and Self Hypnosis in the treatment of many health problems. Abstract of such studies are available in
www.pubmed.com.