Mind Body Connection

This post follows my first post, A Personal Journey: From Mayhem to Hope https://bit.ly/47q5Gum

As I've admitted before, the courage to write came from my meeting with Dhwani. While I was comprehending the gut-wrenching information, I was receiving from Dhwani about how many are grappling with personal struggles, those particularly fighting an autoimmune disease have a certain link to: The Mind-Body Connection, on which this post will focus.

It was as if I was swept away by a turbulent wave because this was not the first time, I had heard about how one’s Mind is so powerful to inflict the good and the bad on one’s body. Much in the beginning I used to wonder – how is this possible at all??

Many of us know the importance of staying mentally healthy and the havoc one’s mind can play over one’s well-being. Sometimes for some, it’s too late to have figured out how mental state can influence physical health.

Eileen Laird’s book – Healing Mindset: A Guide to the Mind-Body Connection for People with Autoimmune Disease covers the Mind-Body Connection splendidly. The mind-body connection refers to the bidirectional relationship where psychological states can impact physiological functions. Stress, anxiety, and negative emotions can trigger inflammatory responses and weaken immune function, potentially exacerbating autoimmune conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS) and rheumatoid arthritis.?

The keywords that resonated with me are – Stress and Negative Emotions, which I will dive into deeper.

Stress – particularly in my wife's case, which I believe, has been self-inflicted. My wife has always been an individual, with gigantic ambitions that drove her maddening zeal to excel in every aspect of her life and take on enormous levels of responsibilities, both at professional and personal life stages. I have lost count, but I have seen her work on several occasions up until early mornings for many years. In hindsight, this was perhaps a trigger for greater stress and perhaps the trigger cause for MS; something that the body said NO to.

Negative emotions – I was perplexed to hear from someone about a friend, named A, who has a stellar professional career, an IVY League education, and a wonderful family, and yet the same person is grappling with an autoimmune disease. Why? By A’s admission, negative emotions are the root cause of the life-impacting disease. It’s the constant play by the mind, the persistency of the negative thoughts that caused the body to give up.

As per Eileen Laird’s book, certain thoughts and behaviours can trigger autoimmune diseases. Up to 80% of autoimmune patients report experiencing significant emotional stress before their diagnosis. Stress activates the body's "fight or flight" response, releasing hormones that can disrupt immune balance and lead to inflammation.

Quoting a testimonial from the book by an autoimmune patient, "By changing my thoughts, I changed my life. I no longer let stress dictate my health."?

Another book, When The Body Says No - Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection, was written by Dr. Gabor Maté, a physician and addiction specialist with over 30 years of clinical experience. He critiques modern Western medicine's limitations in addressing the connection between stress and disease.

The book argues that chronic stress, often rooted in childhood experiences and emotional repression, can lead to various diseases, including cancer and autoimmune disorders. Maté emphasises that the body communicates distress through illness when emotional needs are ignored.

Dr. Gabor Maté also highlights the importance of gratitude as a means to enhance emotional resilience and overall health. Gratitude is portrayed as a powerful tool that can shift focus from negative emotions to positive experiences. This shift not only improves mood but also fosters a sense of connection and support from others, which is crucial for mental health.?

Why am I highlighting the above? It is imperative to recognise the implications that Stress and Negative Emotions have on us. It is even more important to not just recognise but act upon. In today’s modern society, Stress is no longer isolated but rather chronic. This stress is frequently subconscious, making it difficult for individuals to recognise its impact on their health. Stress brought MS in our lives, and through our acceptance, we want to help people understand the dire consequences of stress on health.

It is also important to acknowledge the Mind-Body relationship and realise that emotional states can indeed significantly influence physical health.

• The first step involves acknowledging and accepting one's current state, including physical sensations and emotions, without self-judgment. It is about being honest with oneself regarding feelings and circumstances.
• Developing a conscious awareness of emotions and bodily sensations is crucial. This includes recognising stress signals and understanding what the body needs for healing.

Recognising and appreciating the positive aspects of life can serve as a counterbalance to stress and emotional turmoil. My wife, today, has gratitude towards the people around her, friends & family, and more importantly - her employer who has given her the space and the opportunity to continue to excel and focus on her health and all the triggers that she is aware of. She has done her best so far and continues to understand her Mind-Body Connection.

Have you recognised yours?

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