Victoria Szafranska
Psychology
The focus of my paper is on Mind-Body healing and how positive psychology influences our healing processes, whether we get well quicker or linger with symptoms. I also find that meditation plays a huge role in our mental state and how our thoughts can cause physical ailments within our body. There is a clear connection between how our brains think and the way our bodies feel. We can reduce psychological distresses using our bodies, such as exercising, and we can use our minds to improve our body functions. Simply changing how you think, or look at a situation can improve physical health and wellbeing. Positive thinking will not cure all the symptoms, but a healthy mindset can promote a healthy physical body.
After World War II, psychology began to focus on a science largely devoted to healing. Healing was concentrated on repairing damage using a disease model of human functioning. This almost exclusive attention to pathology neglected the idea of a fulfilled individual and a thriving community, and it neglected the possibility that building strength is the most potent weapon in the arsenal of therapy. The aim of positive psychology is to catalyze a change in psychology from a preoccupation only with repairing the worst things in life to also building the best qualities in life.”[1] Positive Psychology, at the subjective level, is focused on positive subjective experience: well-being and satisfaction (past); flow, joy, the sensual pleasures, and happiness (present); and constructive cognition about the future-optimism, hope and faith. [1] On a more individual level, it focuses on positive personal traits such as the capacity for love, courage, perseverance, interpersonal skills, aesthetic sensibility, forgiveness, originality, high talent, future-mindedness and wisdom. This is important to address as a Chiropractor to your patients about their goals as far as treatment and where they see themselves after 1-2 months of services. They should be influenced by the clinician to have the future in mind about what goals they wish to accomplish. Positive psychology, thinking, and mentality are important on the road of healing.
Being a compassionate Chiropractor involves having a genuine concern for the suffering of others, which is beneficial for mental heath and wellbeing of our patients. Researchers studying the psychology of happiness and human flourishing have found that connecting with others in a meaningful way helps people to enjoy better mental and physical health, ultimately speeding up recovery from dis- ease (Diener & Seligman, 2004)[2]
Another way to improve our thinking is to meditate daily. Meditation aims to map out and make sense of the inner experiences that arise in our daily lives for introspection. Psychology of meditation talks about the conception of selfhood. Self-reflection and introspection, hallmarks of meditation practice, necessarily come to bear on the most proximate object of one’s reflection: the sense of one’s self.[2] The Psychology of Meditation refocuses attention to subvert our pervasive mental perception of duality and at the same time the idea of self cannot be boxed into a definitive object. The discovery of self leads to recognize its omnipresence. The evidence of clinical intervention and the effectiveness of mindfulness is rapidly growing. Most of understanding of mindfulness and its application stems from Buddhist traditions.
Practicing meditation allows yourself to encounter the mind directly and more fully in a moment-to-moment experience. Meditation works on increasing awareness of the body, emotions, thoughts, and mental qualities of the mind. The aim of practicing this awareness is to become increasingly non-reactive through acute events and experiences such as a shout in the distance, a sensation of minor physical discomfort or an angry thought. Observing the mind offers a means to opening and connecting to all experiences, whether negative, positive or neutral in an unfiltered way. Bringing constant awareness aims to reduce suffering through reduced reactivity to experience and increasing well-being.
Qi-gong is an exercise that typically involves moving meditation, coordinating slow flowing movement, deep rhythmic breathing, and calm meditative state of mind. Qi Gong translate to “Life Energy Cultivation”. Research concerning qigong has been conducted for a wide range of medical conditions, including hypertension, pain, and cancer treatment. [3]
Personally, I have been practicing Qi-Gong exercises and meditation for a few months and I have seen that my stress has decreased as well as my wellbeing has improved. I find myself being more patient and compassionate towards others suffering and pain. I want to implement exercise programs such as Qi-Gong classes into my clinic after treating patients for those who wish to meditate. I want my patients to take responsibility for their health and give them a regimen to do so. Meditation does not have to be sitting in a quiet space, it can be exercises that turn attention or awareness to dwell upon a single subject, concept, or experience, with the intention of of achieving improved psychological well-being.
I would educate my patients about how meditation, whether Qi Gong or otherwise, can improve their health and decrease their musckuloskeletal pain. One study I found had ninety chronic pain patients who were trained in mindfulness meditation in a 10-week Stress Reduction and Relaxation Program. Statistically significant reductions were observed in measures of present-moment pain, negative body image, inhibition of activity by pain, symptoms, mood disturbance, and psychological symptomatology, including anxiety and depression. Pain-related drug utilization decreased and activity levels and feelings of self-esteem increased. Improvement appeared to be independent of gender, source of referral, and type of pain. A comparison group of pain patients did not show significant improvement on these measures after traditional treatment protocols. At follow-up, the improvements observed during the meditation training were maintained up to 15 months post-meditation training for all measures except present-moment pain. The majority of subjects reported continued high compliance with the meditation practice as part of their daily lives. The relationship of mindfulness meditation to other psychological methods for chronic pain control is discussed. [4]
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/bf00845519
Another way to educate patients is to address to the parents how beneficial a state of peace of mind is important for the well being of their children.
Anxiety is the most reported mental health problem among children, often concurring with depression. Mediation can allow children to be observant of their emotions and mental health rather than reactive towards it. If a child is dealing with anxiety or depression, bringing awareness of thoughts and the mind can help them overcome their emotions and struggles.
Practicing tai chi may help to improve balance and stability in older people and in those with Parkinson’s disease, reduce back pain and pain from knee osteoarthritis, and improve quality of life in people with heart disease, cancer, and other chronic illnesses. Tai chi and qi gong may ease fibromyalgia pain and promote general quality of life. Qi gong may reduce chronic neck pain, but study results are mixed. Tai chi also may improve reasoning ability in older people. [5]
Among other positive outcomes, meditation has been credited with reducing blood pressure, anxiety, addiction, and stress, while Relaxation Response has been shown to decrease sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity, metabolism, pain, anxiety, depression, hostility, and stress. [6]