STRESS AND HEALTH: Psychological, Behavioral, and Biological Determinants

This National Institutes of Health paper reviews many of the studies linking the stress response (and therefore our thoughts, beliefs, and emotional reactions) to a very wide range of physical illnesses. Many more studies have come out since its publication, but this is a useful review.

The Impact of Stress on Body Function: A Review

Stress can be either a triggering or aggravating factor for many diseases and pathological conditions. In this study, we have reviewed some of the major effects of stress on the primary physiological systems of humans.

Stress, Guided Imagery, And Your Heart

Your Level of Stress a Better Predictor of Heart Disease Than Smoking or Diet During episodes of acute stress, stress hormones provide a protective function by activating the body’s defenses, but when these same protective hormones are produced repeatedly, or in excess, because of chronic stress, they create a gradual and steady cascade of harmful physiological changes. Higher levels of…

Read More→

Imagery And Anxiety Research

Treatment Of Anxiety: A Comparison Of The Usefulness Of Self Hypnosis And A Meditational Relaxation Technique. An overview. Benson H, Frankel FH, Apfel R, Daniels MD, Schniewind HE, Nemiah JC, Sifneos PE, Crassweller KD, Greenwood MM, Kotch JB, Arns PA, Rosner B. Abstract We have investigated prospectively the efficacy of two nonpharmacologic relaxation techniques in the therapy of anxiety. A…

Read More→

Surgery, Stress, Anxiety, and Healing Imagery

The Response to Surgery depends on mental factors             Surgical patients who listened to audio suggestions via headphones while under anesthesia in the operating room recovered from their surgery faster than those who underwent conventional recovery. Patients in the latest study underwent hysterectomies. During the procedure, they heard cassette recordings of suggestions such as, “How fast you recover…

Read More→

Stress And Your Immune System

Even Minor Stresses Affect Immunity If Not Compensated For Researchers gave men an unfamiliar but harmless protein for two months and tracked the levels of antibodies. Based on three times a week reporting of moods, good moods corresponded to a better immune response, and relatively low antibody production corresponded with days these students felt that they were in a bad…

Read More→

Attitudes, Emotions And Cancer [Mind Body Research]

Can Attitudes Cause Cancer? Seeing life as a long series of challenges may weaken the immune system. Internal Medicine News, June 15, 1987. Emotions Affect Immune Response To Cancer.

Effects Of A Complimentary Cancer Therapy Program On Coping And Quality Of Life [Mind Body Research]

Programs using psychosocial intervention comprise a major portion of approaches intended to complement medical treatment of cancer. The effectiveness of such programs has been described as “equivocal”, and empirical studies are needed to establish benefits before they can be widely recommended.

Depression Treatment, Ineffective Antidepressants, and Autism [Audio Update]

Play

Recent research in the field of depression has been truly fascinating of late – especially to those of us who need to decide if or when to utilize antidepressant medications.