Injured Teddy BearThrough the interaction between our mind and body we can manifest illness. We can literally dream ourselves sick.

Common Causes

Psychologist and hypnotherapist Leslie LeCron has identified seven common issues that cause psychsomatic illness:

1. Conflict. A conflict occurs when a person feels he wants to do one thing, but ought to do the opposite.

2. Organ language. Symptoms can be caused by organ language – phrases in our everyday conversation that include mention of a body organ in a negative way. For example, “My boss is a pain in the neck.”

3. Motivation.  A person can be motivated to have a symptom because it seems to solve a problem.  For example, children getting sick to avoid school.

4. Past experience.  A very emotional episode that occurred in the past may still be affecting a person. It leaves an imprint in the mind and body.

5. Identification.  A strong emotional attachment to another person who had or has the same symptom. (Often, this person is dead or dying.)

6. Self-punishment. Sometimes a discomforting symptom can seem necessary to compensate for a feeling of guilt. The subconscious mind dispenses this as a form of self-punishment.

7. Suggestion.  An idea has been accepted at a subconscious level, usually introduced at a highly emotional time, and is from then on responded to automatically and uncritically.

The Placebo Effect

Additionally, we know about the placebo effect. In drug testing, 25% of a control group, the group receiving sugar pills, will get better. They get better only because they believe they are taking a drug that will cure them.

With all the talk that has gone on about psychosomatic illness and the placebo effect, why have we done so little work on psychosomatic wellness?

Can we dream ourselves healthy?

You decide.

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