In the previous sharing session, we learned about the many benefits of exercise for human health and improving immunity. At the same time, we also know that excessive strenuous exercise is not advisable, not only is not conducive to improving our immunity, and even makes us sick, therefore, we must carry out appropriate aerobic exercise.
In this issue of sharing, we want to talk to you about the positive significance of healthy psychology on immunity.
Speaking of psychological problems, the most typical case of psychological problems is Lin Daiyu. From the perspective of Lin Daiyu’s short life span of more than ten years, she has a combination of depression, sadness, sensitivity, and suspicion. Her physical and mental health had a huge impact, and she eventually became a tragic figure that the world sighed.
Tumor patients may have heard the saying that the best way to fight cancer is not to know that they have cancer. The reason is simple. When many people get the diagnosis report, their brains are completely blank. They wonder why it was me, and even thought of committing suicide. Before starting the anti-cancer road, they had already lost half of their lives.
Finally received treatment with persuasion from relatives and friends. Under the concern of medical staff and patients next to the bed, the negative emotions began to disappear. However, after being cured and discharged from the hospital, they found that they were surrounded by "normal people". Unfair psychology gradually appeared. I also anticipated that I might relapse at any time within 1 year, 3 years, or 5 years, which further deepened the "don't want to live" mentality.
According to statistics, after 5 years of cancer patients in my country, only 405 out of 1,000 people (both treated and untreated) are still alive. Before talking about the relationship between healthy psychology and immunity, let us first imagine what this number would be if there was no "cancer fear" psychology?
In fact, psychological problems are different from physical diseases. They are caused by human internal spiritual factors, to be precise, a series of problems caused by the central nervous system of the brain, which can indirectly change a person’s personality, world outlook, and emotions.
In addition, huge psychological pressure can also cause very big physical changes. TV dramas often have such a bridge: in great grief, the protagonist often turns his head overnight. In fact, in the historical allusions of ancient and modern times, China and abroad, there are indeed stories of violent emotional fluctuations and heavy mental pressure that caused white hair overnight, such as "Wu Zixu passed Zhaoguan, and turned his head all night."
On the other hand, psychology will also carry out positive interventions on physiology. For example, the well-known placebo effect in medicine is an excellent case of positive interventions on physiology.
During World War II, there were countless wounded soldiers on the battlefield every day who needed urgent surgery. However, due to the lack of logistics and the shortage of anesthetics, military doctors had to use normal saline as anesthetics to inject the wounded. As a result, a large number of wounded miraculously showed symptoms of pain relief. The pain-relieving physiological saline actually has the effect of an anesthetic, so people call this phenomenon the placebo effect.
Speaking of immunity, the body's immune system is the body's defense force. It can be highly activated and highly effective, or depressed and inefficient. The combat effectiveness of the immune system is affected by various factors, among which a very important factor is the psychological factor.
People often compare the brain to the headquarters of the whole body, that is, the command center. This is because all human activities are carried out under the command and control of the brain. This shows that our brain can also naturally influence and regulate the immune system. Our thoughts, psychology and emotions will all affect our attitude towards disease. Such an attitude may be keen acceptance or strong resistance.
There is an emerging field called psychoneuroimmunology. Research in this field shows that our immune system (such as sophisticated cell and molecular identification and defense mechanisms) does not operate in isolation. Studies have shown that neurotransmitters, which are the most active in the brain and immune system, are also most densely distributed in nerve areas that regulate emotions. From this reasoning, emotions can affect the immune system through a direct physical channel.
This tells us that emotions will cause fluctuations in the activity of the immune system, and a positive and healthy attitude will affect some of our physiological functions, which can improve our own body's immunity.
In the group of cancer patients, more than 30% of cancer patients have different degrees of mental and psychological disorders, the most common are adaptive disorders, anxiety disorders, depression, etc. These negative psychology usually have an impact on systemic immunity, the so-called "psychological stress response". This reaction process will lead to a decline in immune function. In particular, the decline in lymphocyte proliferation and the decline in the number and toxicity of NK cells will affect the occurrence and development of tumors, and to a certain extent affect the treatment and rehabilitation of tumor patients.
Therefore, although the tumor is not a heart disease, it does require heart medicine. Instead of relying on not knowing that you have cancer to fight cancer, it is better to rely on a strong mind, accept it with confidence, and fight hard against your destiny.
The most effective way to solve psychological problems is group anti-cancer. The so-called group anti-cancer is to go out and be with many patients, establish new social relationships, release psychological pressure through social activities, and reduce the impact of psychological problems on the condition. .
Only cancer patients really know how they feel after suffering from cancer and understand each other's pain and worries. It will be a very pleasant feeling to build a close relationship with someone who can truly understand you from the heart.
In addition to communication, having suitable partners is also convenient for organizing or participating in group activities. Everyone knows each other's physical condition, and only if you don't play hard, can you gain real happiness in entertainment activities. Leaving home can also reduce loneliness and fear.
In addition, the anti-cancer group is an efficient information exchange meeting. We provide each other with the latest information, exchange experience, learn lessons, and effectively improve the level of seeking medical advice. Regarding nursing and other life precautions, it is more necessary to listen to the experience of the patients around you, especially the newly diagnosed patients, especially the experience sharing and encouragement support of the old patients at this time.
The most important thing is the power of role models. There is a saying among patients that the legendary experience of anti-cancer stars can drive a group of people by one person. When you have a role model around you at all times, it is hard not to be affected by a positive and healthy life attitude, and this is the magic weapon to defeat cancer. If the fear of psychology makes patients surrender half of the loss, then the healthy psychology cultivated by the group's anti-cancer will allow us to fight cancer with half the effort.
In short, psychology is an important factor affecting immune function. In the face of illness, once the psychological defense collapses, it will be even more difficult to overcome the disease. And once we laugh often, life will never grow old. Although the immunity of middle-aged and elderly people is declining with age, as long as we avoid these mental pressures and psychological burdens and try to find more joy in life, our longevity path is bound to be smoother.
References：
《肿瘤免疫营养》石汉平，崔久嵬主编 人民卫生出版社，2018
丛昌勇，于甬华，心理神经免疫学在肿瘤学研究中的进展，中华肿瘤防治杂志，2008年4月第15卷第8期
https://www.ixueshu.com/document/9ccb7b1c7a71e8ffc97be76d954f2c0f318947a18e7f9386.html
心理神经免疫学——百度百科
