There is also evidence that an individual’s belief system can influence the course of a major illness, such as cancer. According to a study of women with breast cancer who had mastectomies, it was their state of mind (“I am going to beat this”) that kept them alive not the severity of their illness. At the five-, ten- and 15-year follow-up, the best predictor of death or recurrence of cancer was the psychological response of each woman three months after the initial surgery. The mental attitude after the surgery better predicted the likelihood of dying or having a recurrence than did the size of the tumor, the tumor’s histologic grade or patient’s age (Greer, 1991).
A more recent study in the review shows how women with early breast cancer who scored high on helpless measures were more likely to relapse or die within five years of being diagnosed (Watson, et al. 1999). Two other studies on metastatic breast cancer (Grossarth-Maticek & Eysenck, 1989; Spiegel, Kraemer, Bloom & Gottheil, 1989) show that psychotherapy had a positive effect on survival rates. Those participating in psychotherapy became more empowered to deal with the stress of having cancer and this increased their survival to an average of three years or more compared with those who didn’t participate and had less than a two-year survival rate.
Finally, the author reviews the research on why increased social interaction decreases mortality. The findings suggest that more friends help individuals deal better with the stresses and anxieties of life, which may offer some protection to illness. This protective factor of companionship, said Ray, may be why the death of a spouse can lead rather quickly to the death of the surviving spouse.
“Everyone is talking about the need for health care and medical education reform,” said Ray, “but there are many vested interests that prevent this from occurring. We need to find out what major health problems confront us today; what skills are needed to prevent and deal with them; and how costs can be reduced? With the changing life styles and patterns of behaviors that can lead to illness, we are overwhelming the current healthcare system.”
Reference: “How the Mind Hurts and Heals the Body,” Oakley Ray, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University; American Psychologist, Vol. 59, No. 1.
- American Psychological Association
Articles in The Science of Mental Health are written by the originating institution. This article was originally posted to Newswise.
