From: erming	Date: November 2nd, 2006 09:53 am (UTC)		(Link)

Hmmm, well I know that is true.

Many years ago when I was feeling bad and had all kinds of bad thoughts, I thought I'd try a self help book.

I looked at the poor selection in WHSmiths and there was a catoony one called being happy by Andrew Mathews. I read it, tried out some of the ideas and was pleased with the results. I recommend the book to anyone (and given it has sold something like 6 million copies, it is a very popular choice).

	From: catkin	Date: November 2nd, 2006 10:38 am (UTC)		(Link)

this is one of my key areas of intrest - how exciting to see you looking into it. I've done a lot on reading and considering of this area and there is some seriously interesting stuff. Increasingly, my picture of a human is something with body and mind much more integrated and entwined.

One example I came across was in a book I was reading on stress and health. The effect of the mind on body is so powerful it can even result in death. eg examples of people who believed they had a voodoo curse on them which was going to result in their death really did just lie in their hospital bed and pass away - check out this page. The same people can be cured if they believe someone genuinally lifts the curse from them.

there's a guy at the uni looking into hypnosis - only around 1 in 10 people are highly hypnotisable but again, it's incredible the effects that can be generated here through suggestion.

I've just acquired a biofeedback PC game as a bit of fun to have a go with practicing getting into meditative like relaxation states too.

interesting work, thanks!

Where are you these days?

	From: catkin	Date: November 2nd, 2006 10:40 am (UTC)		(Link)

ps also interesting link here is the placebo effect. I went to a talk by a pharmacologist, and she said that drugs companies are well aware of this and hence a lot of research money goes into finding the right shape and colour to make the pills to best harness this effect. I agreed with her notion that actually the placebo effect accounts for a substantial proportion of all therapies, drugs, operations and so on.

if we could really get a grasp on how this works, or at least find methods to make use of it, it would be amazing.

	From: arkady	Date: November 2nd, 2006 01:57 pm (UTC)		(Link)

I wrote an essay once on how I could not accept stigmata as evidence that the Christian god actually exists. Can't remember if you read it or not?

	From: vexen	Date: November 2nd, 2006 02:24 pm (UTC)		(Link)

No I haven't; still got it to hand then?

	From: arkady	Date: November 2nd, 2006 02:36 pm (UTC)		(Link)

Not at the moment (still in Wales presently) but once I'm back at my own desk I'll look up the link for you.

	From: tangyapple	Date: November 2nd, 2006 06:51 pm (UTC)		(Link)

Ulcers have been found to be caused by a bacterium, H. pylori. However, stress and depression can definitely worsen any illness. Studies have shown direct correlation between stress and autoimmune disease, for starters.

There's also "psychoneuroimmunology" (PNI).

Meditation can definitely have an impact.

Uh... I'll have more to say soon. ;) Good page; topic's a strong interest of mine!