Mind-body medicine
Mind-body medicine is a holistic approach to health that emphasizes the interconnectedness of mental and physical well-being. Rooted in ancient healing traditions, such as traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, this practice contrasts sharply with the compartmentalized view of Western medicine, which often separates the mind from the body. The field gained renewed interest in the 1960s, leading to the development of psychoneuroimmunology, which explores how psychological states influence physical health.
This approach utilizes various techniques, including meditation, yoga, biofeedback, and cognitive behavioral therapy, to manage stress and improve health outcomes for conditions like anxiety, hypertension, and chronic pain. Research has shown that practices such as mindfulness and spiritual engagement can enhance mental health and overall quality of life. While mind-body medicine is not a substitute for conventional treatments, it serves as a complementary therapy, emphasizing patient involvement and continuous evaluation of treatment effectiveness. As interest in integrative health grows, mind-body medicine continues to demonstrate its potential benefits for both physical and emotional health.
Mind-body medicine
- DEFINITION: A type of traditional healing that emphasizes the interconnectedness of the mind and the body.
Overview
According to Hippocrates, “The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well.” Ancient civilizations and the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, for example, have known and practiced mind-body medicine for centuries. These ancient healing practices include traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, and various forms of indigenous medicine. This conceptual framework of the interdependence of the mind-body relationship is in sharp contrast to the theory of Western medicine, which separates the mind from the body and sees no interconnection between them.
Modern Interests
In the early 1960s came a renewed interest in the possible connection between the mind and the body in the context of healing. George Solomon, a psychiatrist, knew that persons with rheumatoid arthritis had an exacerbation of symptoms when they were depressed. From this realization, he developed a new field of medicine that incorporated the knowledge of psychology, neurology, and immunology: psychoneuroimmunology. Another physician, Herbert Benson, studied the effect of meditation on blood pressure levels. Psychologist Robert Ader further illustrated the relationship between mind and body and how this interplay could be affected by mental and emotional cues. He was interested in how this relationship affected the immune system. The mind-body connection, for the most part, is no longer viewed with suspicion. Indeed, its study is part of the curricula of many medical schools worldwide.
Mind-body Medicine
Theoretically, mind-body medicine works by reducing stress levels, thereby decreasing the overload release of hormones such as cortisol, which affect the immune system. These hormones have a major effect on the cardiovascular system, and they also increase inflammation of organs and joints. By decreasing the release of these stressors, one can manage many chronic diseases. Experiments have shown not only a reduction in blood pressure but also a reduction in body temperature.
One has only to close one’s eyes and open one’s mind to visualize a Hindu monk, for example, performing such physical-mental feats. These acts of will, through self-control practiced through multiple forms of relaxation, can be performed by anyone with training. Meditation, yoga, guided visualization, relaxation techniques, biofeedback, and cognitive behavioral therapy are methods employed in mind-body medicine.
Conditions that have been improved by choosing an appropriate modality include asthma, coronary heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), anxiety, insomnia, fibromyalgia, menopausal symptoms, and the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy. By choosing the preferred modality, a participant enhances the chance for success.
Hypnosis is another form of mind-body medicine that has gained favor. It has been shown to be advantageous in multiple situations, including dental treatments, minor surgery, and treatment for phobias. Although this is a proven modality, it may not work for everybody.
David Spiegel of Stanford University School of Medicine treated eighty-six women with late-stage breast cancer; one-half received standard recommended treatments, and the other half received, in addition to the standard treatment, weekly support sessions in which the women shared personal triumphs and grief. The women who participated in these support groups lived twice as long as those who did not have this social support. Other clinical trials have shown that meditation and laughter affect mood and improve the quality of life.
In the 2020s, interest in mind-body medicine as a complement to traditional medicine only continued to grow in popularity and in support from the traditional healthcare community. In a study published in 2020, 14 percent of Americans reported that they had used mind-body techniques regularly in the past year. This study continued to show the copious physical and health benefits of mind-body medicine and showed increasing evidence of its effectiveness in promoting a healthy lifestyle and treating medical conditions.
New therapies were also developed, including autogenic training, progressive muscle relaxation, and breathing techniques. Spirituality is another mind-body technique that is sometimes used in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In several studies, patients who self-reported practicing spirituality or religion had better health outcomes than those who did not. Additionally, those who practiced mindfulness meditation, transcendental meditation, and other stress-relieving practices experienced better mental health. Researchers link this positive impact to the individual's positive outlook. Though more studies are needed, the promise remains great for mind-body medicine.
Practice
As with any form of medical therapy, treatments should be rendered by licensed professionals only. Mind-body medicine does not provide curative measures as such. It is a form of integrative medicine complementary to well-established medical treatments.
Also, it is important to have ongoing evaluation of the success or failure of treatment. Re-evaluation, which can be curative in its own right, is an ongoing process that should be incorporated into the routine activities of the person seeking care.
The motivation of the patient and the trust instilled by the practitioner are as much a part of mind-body medicine as the treatment itself. As with any form of healing, the interplay among those involved needs to be established at the start of treatment. The greatest satisfaction a practitioner can achieve is the attainment of the goals set by both the practitioner and the person being treated.
Bibliography
Ader, R., and N. Cohen. “Psychoneuroimmunology: Conditioning and Stress.” Annual Review of Psychology, vol. 44, 1993, pp. 53-85.
Dossett, Michelle L., et al. “A New Era for Mind-Body Medicine.” The New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 382, no. 15, 2020, pp. 1390-91. doi.org/10.1056/nejmp1917461. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Ehrlich, Steven D. “Mind-body Medicine Information.” Mount Sinai, 2023, www.mountsinai.org/health-library/treatment/mind-body-medicine. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.
Lando, J., and S. M. Williams. “Uniting Mind and Body in Our Health Care and Public Health Systems.” Preventing Chronic Disease 3, no. 2 (2006): A31.
McMillan, T. L., and S. Mark. “Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Physical Activity for Menopausal Symptoms.” Journal of the American Medical Women’s Association 59, no. 4, 2004, pp. 270-77.
"What Is Mind-Body Medicine?" Center for Mind-Body Medicine, cmbm.org/faq/what-is-mind-body-medicine. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.