The power of our mind
Many studies demonstrate when patients are given a placebo pill, and they believe that it’s powerful medicine, they get better. The power of the mind is awesome, and often untapped. (1) we also have the nocebo effect; a substance or treatment’s ability to make us feel unwell if we believe it has the power to do so.
A 1960s study, involving 57 Japanese boys allergic to a poison ivy like plant reported what we now know is the nocebo effect.(2) Researchers used a leaf of the poisonous plant and rubbed it onto one forearm of the participants. As a control, a non-poisonous chestnut leaf, resembling the toxic plant was rubbed on the other forearm. Almost all the children broke out in a rash on the arm rubbed with the toxic leaf and had no response to the imposter leaf. However, the children did not know that the leaves were mislabelled on purpose. The negative thought of being touched by the poisonous plant, led to the rash produced by the nontoxic leaf. In the majority of cases, no rash resulted from contact with the toxic leaf because it was thought to be the harmless control. Now this study needs to be replicated to have any weight, but it shows that negative perceptions may precipitate negative effects.
And there is more evidence of the power of our mind over matter. Fabrizano Benedetti travelled with more than 100 students up the Italian Alps to an altitude of 3000m (9800ft).(3) Beforehand, he had told just one student about a possible consequence: that the thin air may incite a migraine. As expected, because humans have a tendency to spread bad news, Benedetti heard that the gossip had spread to more than a quarter of the group. What is interesting is not the speed at which gossip spreads, but that those who had heard the rumour began to suffer the worst headaches. Benedetti measured saliva and found an exaggerated response to the low oxygen conditions, including a proliferation of the enzymes that are associated with altitude headache. There was a physiological response just from believing something to be true. And it also suggests that harmful beliefs, which transmit illness, can be catching.
So negative suggestions can make you sick, and I’m quite sure they can bring about emotional and mind dis-ease also (dis-ease being a trendy phrase for sickness arising from unease). On the other hand, believing that we can change the health and wellbeing of our mind in a positive way, and making some lifestyle changes to facilitate that end, will enable us to achieve excellent mental health. The mind is a powerful tool, but how do we utilise it for good?
Changing the mindset
Henry Ford once said, ‘Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.’ I did not believe that I could calm my mind, get off medication, nor find contentment. And because I didn’t really believe, I didn’t commit to doing the work that I had to do to get where I am now. It has not been an easy ride, and until I got a taste of what life could be like, I wasn’t fully committed.
The trick is not positive thinking, which we will cover at a later date. It’s about changing our mindset. The Socratic approach uses logic and reason as the means to achieve emotional healing. Our emotions are caused by our beliefs and judgements. However sometimes our beliefs are just plain wrong, and this causes us immense suffering. According to the Socratic tradition we can use our reason to re-appraise, to think differently, and therefore to believe and behave differently. This will lead us to healing and wisdom.
Jules Evans pointed out in his book Philosophy For Life,(4) the 4 steps of the Socratic tradition:
Humans can know themselves. We can use our reason to examine our unconscious beliefs and values.
Humans can change themselves. We can use our reason to change our beliefs. This will change our emotions, because emotions follow our beliefs.
Humans can consciously create new habits of thinking, feeling and acting.
What do you think about that? I especially like number 2, as if we change our beliefs then our emotions will follow. However number 4 complicates matters.
If we follow philosophy as a way of life, we can live more flourishing lives.
Number 4 is where we drive to after working through 1, 2, and 3. It’s the place where our values take us, and will be different for everyone. It brings us back to the importance of finding meaning and purpose.
If we are to use reason to examine unconscious beliefs, it’s sometimes difficult to know where to start. How do we even identify what our unconscious beliefs are?
Start by looking at the areas where we self-sabotage. For example, you want to start getting up an hour earlier to exercise, but every night you stay up until midnight watching TV, and consequently sleep through your alarm. Ask yourself what are your thoughts about this behaviour? Have you convinced yourself that because you work hard all day, you deserve to slob in front of the television at night? Or that the night-time relaxation ritual is the only way you can truly unwind? Or, that the benefits of getting up early, don’t compare with the benefits of binging on Netflix? Then ask yourself if this behaviour really has any positive effects for you.
Use reason and logic to examine if your beliefs about this behaviour are correct. Are you going to feel less relaxed in general if you just watch a little TV, go to bed an hour earlier and get up to exercise?
As you bring these patterns of behaviour into consciousness you have the power to release the emotions associated with them. For example, you are clearly stressed at work, which is why you believe you need the extra TV relief. The reality is that exercise is a more effective way for mitigating stress than late nights in front of the TV.
To overcome the limiting belief remind yourself that your subconscious belief concerning relaxation and television are incorrect. You are in fact sabotaging a healthy, and less stressed lifestyle if you continue with this behaviour.
It takes some work and you may need to make this new belief your mantra for it to take hold. For example ‘I am more relaxed, and much happier when I go to bed early and wake to exercise.’
Easier said than done; but like anything it takes practice, then the reward of feeling good will help you keep going.