When dealing with serious conditions such as cancer or autoimmune disorders, positive thinking can be a scientific adjuvant strategy.
Thinking positively reduces the secretion of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, leading to improved immunity and reduced inflammation. Both these responses help our bodies to fight the diseases much better.
Along with the rest of the treatment, one can consciously add positive thinking as an additional therapeutic measure.
My Thoughts
- One must not use positive thinking as the only way to treat any disease. At best, it can be an adjuvant or supportive therapy. In many conditions, not starting the medical therapy in time can make a difference between winning and losing. So, one should not lose precious time in trying positive thinking alone to resolve the problem.
- If negative thinking is not the root cause of the underlying medical problem such as stress-induced issues, then positive thinking cannot fully solve it.
- Positive thinking also helps by ensuring one does not go down the path of negative thinking, which can occasionally worsen the condition. In that sense, positive thinking may work by avoiding ‘fight-or-flight’ response.
- While it may look logical to deploy positive thinking in simple medical conditions, while staying away from semi-scientific aspects in serious conditions, it should actually be the opposite.
In difficult situations such as cancer and autoimmune conditions, there are many moving parts in an unstable system. So one needs to take whatever little advantage one can get here and there, to raise the chances of a positive outcome. In such situations, positive thinking as one strategy in the armament is a no-brainer.
To Read More
- Johns Hopkins Medicine: The Power of Positive Thinking
- Mayo Clinic: Positive thinking: Stop negative self-talk to reduce stress
- Psychology Today: Can Positive Thinking Help You Heal?
First Published On: 9th December 2021
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