We are what we think

Placebos and Nocebos
Our thoughts and beliefs influence our health in powerful ways. We've all heard of the placebo effect: the fact that treatment will work if the patient believes it will. What about the nocebo effect? This is the flip side: a patient will respond poorly to treatment if she thinks she should. For example, someone who is convinced she will die from a heart attack probably will. (Robison & Carrier, 2004, pp 91-94.) The mind and body are linked in ways we may not have realized.

Meaning and Healing
As health educators, we can ask clients (patients) to share their stories. It's important to listen to the meaning that a person dealing with illness shares. We are not telling them what to think or feel, but helping them to inquire and discover for themselves. It's up to them to determine their own meaning for suffering, pain, etc. We are there to support and acknowledge. If you've ever dealt with a serious illness, you know that a strong support system is an important part of the healing process.

My Story
On a Sunday evening in September 2008, I drove myself to the E.R.; I had a nagging pain (dull ache) in my abdomen that wouldn't go away. I had appendicitis but didn't realize it. By the time the surgeon removed my appendix (the next afternoon), it had burst. I spent the next 9 months in and out of hospitals. It seemed as though every time I went off antibiotics for a few weeks and was starting to feel better, the infection would come back. After a 2nd surgery in March 2009, my recovery took hold.

What is the lesson to be learned from my illness? It's not as if I purposely willed myself to be sick. (Who wants to be ill? Not me.) However, this period in my life was a time when I was grossly out of touch with my body. I spent most of my time "in my head," on the computer. I wasn't exercising much, and I missed any early warning signs of a physical problem. I was also "stuck" at work. My personal values of community, making a contribution and learning something new were not being met. I was in the wrong job and I wasn't willing to admit it. Nothing like a life-threatening illness to send a wake-up call: "Pay attention! Change your life or else!"

So what did I learn? Much as I love reading, learning, communicating, I am now aware, at a more visceral level, that I need to nurture all aspects of myself -- body, mind, spirit. Also, I learned that it's possible to reinvent myself at midlife. I am very excited about pursuing a new career in holistic health education.