The Power of Positive Thinking - Can We Literally Will Ourselves to Become Well?
When you are sick, either from something minor like a cold or from a more serious health problem, have you ever noticed how your mental attitude can really contribute to the way you feel?
I can remember throwing myself some pretty good pity parties when I was bed-ridden with the flu or pneumonia or something. Along with feeling very sorry for myself, I would think things like, “I feel so sick.” “My fever is not going away.” “This is just horrible…I’m never going to get better.”
If we’re all being honest here, I think thoughts like these are pretty normal. It’s just the worst to be sick, stuck at home with all of the miserable symptoms that go along with being ill.
I also had a difficult time staying positive while I was recovering from my hysterectomy. I was so sick afterwards and feeling so miserable that my brain played along thinking negative things all day long about how awful I felt.
In the past few months, a few things happened that have really shown me how our thoughts and feelings can impact our health. First, I had a conversation with a dear friend of mine who is a huge believer in affirmations.
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Thanks anonymous for your answer. No sick days in 5 years is amazing.
try telling this crap to someone who is really sick --- not a silly cold -- if it were true why do people die... i guess really sick or old people forget to think positively
I guess the thought of trying to remain positive is just the thought of trying to make people feel good about any situation they are in, not to cure themselves. I have noticed that if I am sick and I think positively about the situation, I tend to feel better than being depressed about the situation. It is certainly not a cure....just a crutch!
We will all die one day, that is apart of life and I think the meaning of this Share is to tell people how powerful trying to remain positive is to our mental health.
My own sister-in-law has breast cancer which has spread to the liver. She is a great believer in the power of prayer and positive thinking, plus has had many courses of Chemo including six and a half years of Herceptin. Miraculously she has had multiple tumours on her liver for over 6 years and is still living a full and active life. Her doctor is amazed. It would be hard to say whether it was the amount of horrendously strong drugs, religious belief or positive thinking that has enabled this - most likely a combination of all three.
My main problem with the idea that positive thinking can cure you is that this puts a tremendous amount of pressure on a sick person. If their health deteriorates, is it because they just weren't positive enough, not a good enough Christian, their faith not strong enough. Beware of a God complex. We all have strengths and powers but at the bottom of it we are all human and falliable.
Being positive is very rarely a bad idea. It often helps but don't beat yourself up if it doesn't!
Anon, I love your post. You have witnessed firsthand someone who is successfully fighting with every tool given to her -- medicine, faith and her mind -- and yet you can see the other side. I wish the best for your sister-in-law, and thank you so much for writing.