This is an excerpt from the Blog Article: Mighty Pillars of Health
Can your mental attitude influence your health? In other words, can the way you think about your health change your health outcome? You betcha! There have been many documented cases where people have ‘thought’ themselves sick as well as the other way – individuals were able to ‘think’ themselves healthy. I am oversimplifying this concept. However, every day people heal themselves by positive thoughts, laughter, visualization or simply by living in the moment.
Studies on the placebo effect have shown that thoughts are oftentimes more powerful than drugs, with no side effects! A placebo effect happens when a person is given a harmless substance and by expecting a certain outcome they can influence the result. The more you believe in a treatment, the more likely you are to benefit from it. Therefore, thoughts and feelings can change brain chemistry and affect your health in a negative or positive way. So, be careful what you think! Keep it positive, look at the silver lining in your situation (there always is one).
How can you be positive when you have just been diagnosed with an illness? At that time you may be overloaded with emotions: feeling scared (will I die?), angry (why me?), frustrated (I did everything right, and still…) and hopeless. How can you turn these feelings around when it seems as though all the cards are stacked against you? It is easier said than done but there are various tools to help you cope.
It certainly helps if you have a support system, loved ones, family or friends that care and prop you up emotionally. Meditation is a beautiful practice of looking inward and being in the moment. Self hypnosis is a similar technique which will teach you to give yourself positive suggestions toward the goal you want to reach. Prayer has been found to have incredible effects on the human body. EFT (emotional freedom technique), tapping various meridian points on your body can also have a very positive impact and the list goes on.
It is a mindset that you will have to find yourself. You cannot force it. It must come from a feeling of gratitude and love. Ultimately you must have hope and an optimistic state of mind that there will be a positive outcome in your situation.