Psychoneuroimmunology--can we control our immune systems?

This is Part II of a two-part series continued from the May-June issue.

Summary:

This article looks at the controversial issue of mind-body therapy. In particular it will examine the relatively new science of Psychoneuroimmunology, its formation and its relevance to the medical community in finding potential cures for disease through the immune system. This article also looks at some of the alternative therapies, which have proven to be successful, and for which Psychoneuroimmunology provides a potential scientific reason for their success.

For this is the great error of our day that the physicians separate the soul from the body. Hippocrates

Guided Imagery:

Guided Imagery or visualization, is a process that involves the use of symbols to imagine the changes the individual desires to have take place. Patients who enter this therapy are encouraged to relax and imagine a journey described by the practitioner. This may include having patients imagine that their problem is like many other things that they know to be true but curable. An example of this would be relating the body's abilities to send the appropriate healing to a cut on the hand. No thought is required for this to happen, it happens naturally and therefore those learnings from that natural state can be transferred to the presenting problem. In fact, while visualization has been used for many centuries, it gained a lot of attention in the early 1970's when cancer patients were encouraged to use it to fight cancer cells in their bodies. A direct approach could be to have patients imagine the cells of their immune system attacking the active problem or cancer cells and watching the cancer cells being subdued. Scientific research has looked into guided imagery. Dr. Richard Smith, a psychiatrist at the University of Arkansas, conducted one such study, for Medical Sciences. (11) In this study a woman who had had the virus chickenpox and had a natural defense mechanism to it, was injected under the arm with the virus. The resulting swelling at the site of injection and its later disappearance was the expected result of someone whose immune system was working well against the virus. This was confirmed by blood work showing an increase in her white blood cells responding to the virus. Over each of the next three weeks she was injected again and each time she was instructed to use imagery to reduce the size of the swelling. The result was a smaller swelling with each subsequent injection and a corresponding reduction in the white blood cell count required to deal with the virus. In the final analysis, the woman was instructed to return her immune system to normal. Further injections resulted in the original response. This experiment showed that guided imagery could have an effect on the immune system. Researchers believe that visualization may reduce stress, thereby boosting the immune system and helping the body fight disease. It may give people a more positive outlook, an important benefit on its own.

Biofeedback 

The word biofeedback was coined in the late 1960's to describe laboratory procedures then being used to train experimental research subjects to alter brain activity, blood pressure, heart rate, and other bodily functions that are not normally controlled voluntarily. The most common forms of biofeedback today are the electromyographic (EMG) and the electrodermal (EDR). These sensors allow persons to monitor their own muscle relaxation, heart rate, breathing patterns and perspiration and concentrate on changing it through either the visual or auditory information provided by the equipment.

In initial studies, some scientists believed that a day might come when biofeedback would provide a major degree of control over our bodies. With people exerting their will they thought it might be possible to change the patterns of our brainwaves to create healing without drugs which often produce unpleasant side effects for patients with high blood pressure.

It is recognized by most scientists that eliminating the need for drugs by this method is unrealistic. Research has demonstrated that biofeedback can help in the treatment of many diseases and painful conditions. Most patients who benefit from biofeedback are trained to relax and modify their behavior. Most scientists believe that relaxation is a key component in biofeedback treatment of many disorders, particularly those disorders induced or aggravated by stress. Disorders that have been successfully controlled with biofeedback include anxiety, migraines and Raynaud's disease and syndrome. (12)

Hypnotherapy or Therapeutic Hypnosis

The use of hypnosis to assist individuals in their own healing is not a new concept. Franz Anton Mesmer, in the 1700's believed in animal magnetism and through his practices the term, Mesmerism, and its therapy came into being. Mesmer had a successful practice. A Royal Commission later discredited him in France. This commission included Benjamin Franklin and Joseph Guillotine. They found no scientific evidence to support his claims and believed the successes were a result of expectation and suggestion. It is interesting that they thought he was a charlatan, and yet, their conclusions formed the basis of hypnosis. It was much later in 1843 that the British surgeon, James Esdaile, utilized Mesmerism to operate without anaesthetic. At the same time, another British doctor, James Braid, named this state Hypnosis from the Greek hypno, to sleep due to the similar appearance of sleep. Today the medical community sometimes uses hypnosis but more often specialized hypnotherapists, who fall within the increasing field of complimentary health, utilize these processes.

Hypnosis is probably one of the most researched modalities and yet because much of its success cannot always be repeated in the laboratory, the scientific community has seen its use as merely a placebo irritant. Recent breakthroughs in Psychoneuroimmunology studies now give increasing evidence of the connection between mind-body communication and the rationale as to how hypnosis plays a factor in this. There are as many different definitions of hypnosis as there are beliefs about how it works. The previous examples of 'Guided Imagery' and 'Biofeedback' are inclusive in the hypnotic process. It is interesting to note that many people have a misconstrued idea about hypnosis and it is this that promotes fear and mistrust about being controlled. A simple description offered by Dr. Karen Olness M.D., of Case Western Reserve University, is, A form of self-induced, focused attention that can make it easier for you to relax of control your body's functions. (13)

It is generally known that our bodies require two states during a twenty four hour period, that of wakefulness and that of sleep. This is called our Circadian rhythms. Recently, research has indicated our bodies naturally go through rhythms during the day, which create a 'break response stimulus'. These rhythms are referred to as "Ultradian rhythms" and generally are about ninety minutes to two hours in length. During this period the mind-body pauses and turns inward to focus on its healing. (14) Modern Hypnotherapists utilize these natural Ultradian rhythms to assist the patient to create a mental link between the required goal and natural physical abilities to heal. To achieve this the patient is guided by the therapist to a relaxed state, which allows for a communication to the unconscious mind. It is at the unconscious level that many conditions and thoughts exist, which are out of reach to the conscious mind or that the conscious mind is ill equipped to deal with. What Psychoneuroimmunology provides us is a blue print of cellular and molecular communication between mind, body and gene which takes hypnotherapy out of the realm of magic and into a psychobiological reason for success.

Non-Allopathic Process is all Placebo:

Placebo, from the Latin, meaning, "to please" is now commonly recognized as a false medicine. The medical community has for years prescribed placeboes to people they feel are considered hypochondriacs. It is interesting that three elements need to be in place for a placebo to be effective: 1. A positive expectation by the patient. 2. A positive expectation by the health care provider. 3. A trusting relationship between care provider and patient. Based upon what has already been discussed, it appears that this basic criterion is the foundation of proven Psychoneuroimmunology.

Some doctors now believe that the placebo effect is due to a response within the mind and body that strengthens the immune system and speeds healing. (15)

Rather than writing off non-allopathic processes, the scientific community is indicating to the medical community that the thoughts and emotions of the patient can be in and of themselves, enough to generate good health. With this in mind, all methods of complimentary health can be looked at with a different and more open viewpoint. While some modalities certainly appear to have no scientific or logical reason for their success, it is too easy to condemn them as fringe of charlatan practises without research.

Conclusion:

The purpose of this article has been to show that the new science of Psychoneuroimmunology presents solid information about the communication link that exists between the mind-brain and body. Certainly evidence has been established that supports the idea of some illnesses being contractible of aggravated by psychosocial pressure which induces stress in the organism. It is too simplistic to believe that all diseases have their basis in emotions but a growing number of experts believe that some diseases are emotional, as opposed to organic in origin. A sense of loss of control over one's situation can lead to a loss of normal homeostasis. When this happens, our immune system is weakened, making it easier to contract disease. While it is certain that the biological, allopathic approach has made amazing advances, its limitations lie in not capitalizing on the patient's emotional well being from a humanistic approach. A complimentary approach would appear to be best for the patient's well being. This would require a huge paradigm shift from the present way in which the medical community completes its business.

There are some associated dangers in the Psychoneuroimmunological approach. Regardless of which modality is selected by a patient, one thing becomes clear. A strong trust and expectation develops between the patient and the therapist. This leads to suggestions from the therapist being accepted readily, and without in some cases, examination by the patient. This is especially true if the modality used is hypnosis, which is working with the unconscious (non-analytical) mind. Regardless of the modality it seems for some people the view of a person in authority is accepted without question and therefore their word becomes very powerful. While this is what makes positive changes and healing possible for some, a misplaced of ill-conceived statement could have an equally negative response for others. In this respect, while caution should be placed upon overly optimistic comments, negative truths can result in a helplessness, which can cause vagal death in some seriously traumatised patients. (16)

As discussed, there is not a therapy called Psychoneuroimmunology but rather the science itself. The applications are within other therapies that fit the concepts and beliefs associated with Psychoneuroimmunology. For those who wish to explore a career in the sciences that make up Psychoneuroimmunology, it is now a part of many universities' curriculum. One of the leaders in this field is the Centre for Psychoneuroimmunology at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester, New York. These courses are under the directorship of Dr. Robert Ader, founder of the science of Psychoneuroimmunology. Others who wish to practise in the field with patients need to assess which modality they first wish to train in. Most of the modalities can be trained from within and from outside of the medical community. People who wish to train as therapists have to be vigilant to ensure their training is both appropriate and accredited by recognized organizations.

It has been said, The human body can be conceived as a five million year old healer, with a pharmacopoeia of neuropeptides, neuroendocrine secretions and immunological restoratives that maintain and enhance health. (17)

If that is so, then Psychoneuroimmunology is a science that truly has laid the groundwork for many complimentary health care approaches, especially hypnosis and Neuro Linguistic Programming, to have a validated scientific support. The benefits are many as it supports the premise of a health care without always turning to drugs. All of the modalities which utilize the science of Psychoneuroimmunology are non-invasive and return an element of control to patients for their own health and welfare, in a world where individuals often feel a loss of that very control over their own lives.

Psychoneuroimmunology is a new field and requires more research. In 1985, there were no Psychoneuroimmunology listings cited in Medline, the worlds largest medical database. Between 1995 and 1997 over one hundred publications were posted. Despite this increase, further research needs to be conducted in the laboratory and in the field. Unfortunately, there are too few researchers who have interdisciplinary training and experience to make the connections between psychology, immunology, and endocrinology. The challenge that lies ahead is to further substantiate that the immune system can indeed be enhanced through thoughts, belief, emotions and behavior.

Endnotes:

(11.) Saunder Melvin D., "Self Healing and Your 100% Brain", Published on Neuroguide, 1997

(12) Department of Health and Human Services Plain Talk Series--Ruth Kay, Editor DHHS Publication No. (ADM) 83-1273 (Printed 1983)

(13) Olness K. "Hypnosis the Power of Attention in Mind-Body Medicine", Yonkers, New York, 1993, Consumer Report Books.

(14) Rossi, Ernest Lawrence, "The Psychobiology of Mind-Body Healing", WW. Norton Company, New York, 1993, 179

(15) Thornton JS., "The Sugar Pill Secret", www.thriveonline.com Library Abstract 18415, 1993

(16) Rossi Ernest Lawrence, "Mind-Body Therapy", WW. Norton Company, New York 1988, 133

(17) Groer Maureen, "Psychoneuroimmunology", American Journal of Nursing, August: 1991, 33

For Biblography, Internet Research Sites, and Organizations & Resources for Education & Training please email the author at [e-mail]

IMDHA AWARD NOMINATION CRITERIA

Member of the Year is an IMDHA member who demonstrates over time by his/her personal commitment of time and energy that he/ she supports the IMDHA goals and objectives. The award is presented in recognition of the above to a member who made a contribution of volunteer effort without regard for reward or special recognition and/or a member who has taken the time and effort to help create a positive environment in his/her state for all of its citizens.

Pen and Quill award is presented to an author who has published a work that includes Hypnosis/Hypnotherapy as a healing modality.

Educator of the Year is presented to an IMDHA Approved School Owner who had demonstrated loyal commitment to the IMDHA educational criteria.

Team Player Award is presented to an IMDHA member who exemplifies great team spirit.

Pebble in the Pond is presented to an IMDHA member who has given unselfishly of him/herself without expecting recognition of rewards in return for the many hours of Hypnotherapy service given to others.

Distinguished Service Award is presented to an IMDHA member for his/her diligence and determination; for willingness to work above and beyond the call of duty.

President's Award is given to an IMDHA member for Research and Development in the art and science of Hypnosis/Hypnotherapy.

Fellow and Diplomat is awarded by vote of the designated committee. Specifics for nomination are given on request to the nominating committee president, Paul Durbin of LA.

Note: Not all awards are given every year.

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About Jay Quinlan:

Jay Quinlan owns and operates Global Learning Solutions Inc., a company that provides both individual and group therapeutic sessions within the Neuro Linguistic & Hypnotherapeutic processes. In addition, Jay provides training and seminars in related topics and communication skills. Jay is an approved school director with the International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association[TM]. If you wish to contact Jay you can do so at [phone]/ [phone], Email [e-mail]