Chapter 1
Beyond
Positive Thinking
What the Mind-Body Approach Is and What It Is Not
Nothing hinders the acceptance of a new idea more than the belief that we've already accepted it. We've heard so much about the mind-body approach that we're sure we understand it, although most people define it vaguely as "thinking positive, having a good attitude, and avoiding stress." This sounds so doable that we’re convinced we not only agree with the mind-body approach—we’re sure we use it all the time.
We believe this despite a mindless pursuit of health driven by our conviction that it comes from outside us. Many of us run to the doctor for every little thing, and feel miffed if we come away without an injection, a prescription, or appointments for more diagnostic tests. We're convinced that eating "right" will save us from cancer and heart disease, and we worry so much about germs that there's now a huge market for antibacterial everything. The fact is, we are using the mind-body approach all the time—we just aren't using it consciously, the way we think we are. Instead of believing in the power of our minds to heal, we believe in the power of our doctor, food, herbs, prescription drugs, exercise, or antibacterial nosewipes.
Although the popular view equates the mind-body approach with anything that isn't conventional medicine, most alternative therapies are no more likely to deliberately employ mind-body practices than conventional medicine.
The mind-body approach to health is based on the understanding that health comes from inside us, that our beliefs--which drive our perception, imagination, attitudes, and emotions--are the strongest influence on all aspects of well-being. Alternative practitioners may give lip service to the idea that health is the natural state of the body and that the mind can strongly influence health, but most tend to act just like conventional practitioners, stressing the importance of something the patient needs to buy, take, eat, or do to elude ill health. The only real difference between most alternative therapies and conventional medicine is in the details. Where conventional medicine prescribes pharmaceuticals and surgery, alternative therapies prescribe special foods, herbs, supplements, or vitamins.
In order to change our minds about health, we first need to broaden the definition of health to include our relationship with all aspects of our lives, rather than confining health to the physical condition of our bodies. We also must change our concept of stress to reflect the fact that our beliefs determine what we experience as stressful, instead of assuming that all stressors affect everyone equally. And we need to realize that the scientific assumption that the mind and the brain are the same is, quite simply, erroneous.
Misconceptions about the mind-body approach
- We’re sure we accept it as a good idea, although our behavior indicates we do not.
- How alternative or complementary medicine came to be equated with mind-body medicine.
- We think the mind-body approach sounds too good to be true.
- We think it’s only good for minor health problems, not for anything serious.
- We assume that if your symptoms go away from using mind-body techniques, it means you weren’t really sick.
- We think advocating the mind-body approach is mean to sick people by giving them false hope or blaming them for their illness.
- We think if we learn to use the mind-body approach, we’ll never be sick again.
- We think patients accept mind-body approaches to health, but doctors keep them from using it.
- We think that if you want to use the mind-body approach, you have
to stop using conventional medicine.
How is mind-body health care different?
- Your definition of health includes all aspects of your life as well as your body.
- Cultivating mental health is the key to physical health.
- You focus on developing trust in your ability to heal instead of expecting someone or something to "fix" you.
- Prescription of mind-body therapies no longer suggests that you are "not really sick."
- Doctors and patients cultivate a consulting relationship between peers, rather than the unequal relationship of parent and child.