MadKally

I learned a lesson about psychosomatic pain when I lived with my fundy mother. I had excruciating back pain all the time. One MD told me I had a fracture, one thought I might have a tumor on my spine, I can't remember what some others said. I was desperately going around to ER's to find out what was wrong.

One day I was here at the IIDB. Someone was talking about things being all in your mind so I looked up Somatoform disorder. I was probably snoozing in college.

Then I started noticing that my pain would level off when my mom wasn't home, but as soon as she drove in the driveway I would become almost crippled with real pain.

After that I meditated constantly and kept repeating to myself "It is NOT real" Then after I moved it completely went away. I was shocked at what the human mind can do.

Nothing at all is wrong with my back! They sure loaded me up with Vicodin though! It didn't help.

Nowhere357

Good story!

Psychosomatics do affect our quality of life, so I think you agree that meditation and positive thinking have value.

Do you think that meditation and positive thinking can possibly affect the immune system in a positive way?

MadKally

Absolutely! Studies have been done on meditation, positive thinking and even laughter can boost the immune system. In regular patients of course. I suppose if a person really believes in prayer it could help as well as laughter. I'd rather laugh though. I laugh all the time and I honestly believe it boosts my immune system. I know studies have been done at Loma Linda University Medical Center in southern California on laughing. I should save everything I look up. But still, my patients may be distracted and laugh and feel better for awhile and it helps a LOT. But....

Nowhere357

Very good point that good humor also helps. Can you think of any other mental 'techniques' or 'states' that seem to improve health/boost immune system?

I never really thought of laughter as associated with any religion, except maybe some of the eastern ones. Interesting.

In terms of the OP then, yes prayer CAN help, but a better path is meditation, positive thinking, good humor, and ? This is good stuff.

secular-knight 69

Hello everyone,

This is my first post in hopefully what will be a long and fruitful career as a secular-knight.

I read this one in time magazine.

"Your mind can heal your body. It can tell you to go to the doctor."

MadKally

I was referring to things like catching a cold as far as boosting the immune system. Really seriously ill patients are not going to get healed. I think we are all smart enough to know to go to a doctor. In a chemo patients room, they can't even have a potted plant because they are so immunocompromised and suseptable to infection.

secular-knight 69

[
I was speaking in a tone of levity. I will recall you use the emoticons

MadKally

Welcome to the Internet Infidels. The best website in the world.

Kally

Sorry, I lost my sense of humor for a minute. good quote.

secular-knight 69

Thanks for the welcome.

I do have a question for you MAD KALLY. What happened to your post count?

MadKally

Notice that the new Mad Kally has no space. Also see that I registered in May 2001, and now it says Nov. 2001... I was dead serious about not getting to 10,000 posts first. the first 8000 all I did was post "haha" all the time. (a slight exaggeration) I was so happy to find this place I was elated. I can't explain the story right now, because a few people like Duck of Death can't figure out how I did it. He thinks I'm some kind of genius hacker. He just a duck, what can you expect? haha

The new shrunken Kally