Mind-Body Relationship

Research has provided validity for the suspected link between how a person
perceives and influences his or her environment and that person’s total
health and effectiveness. There has been evidence that the mind and
body are inseparable, that one influences the other even to the point of
breakdown or healing. Leslie Kamen, Judith Rodin, and Seligman have
corroborated the idea that how a person explains life situations (a person’s
explanatory style) seems to be related to immune system functioning.
Blood samples were taken from a group of older persons who had
been interviewed about life changes, stress, and health changes. Those
whose interviews revealed a pessimistic or depressive explanatory style had
a larger percentage of suppressor cells in their blood. Considering the idea
that suppressor cells are believed to undermine the body’s ability to fight
tumor growth, these discoveries suggest a link between learned helplessness
(as revealed by attitude and explanatory style) and susceptibility to diseases.
Studies have also been conducted to determine whether learned helplessness
and explanatory style can predict illness. Results, though inconclusive,
suggest that a person’s attitude and perception of life events do influence
physical health some twenty to thirty years later and can therefore be a
valuable predictor and a tool for prevention. Particularly if an illness is just
beginning, a person’s psychological state may be crucial to healing.