Self Healing

Self Healing: Can we heal ourselves?

All health care needs to follow the cycle of: recognition, diagnosis, deciding treatment, application of treatment, recovery, and finally, convalescence.

This cycle is necessary whatever the problem. The first step is the patient becoming aware that something is wrong. In the case of mental and emotional problems, this is not an easy thing to do. At the stage of recognition, the person may decide to ignore it. The philosophy of "leave it alone and it will go away" is quite common. It may be that the person is in denial and that it is other people saying they have a problem. If there is denial, then progress through the cycle is much harder.

Once recognition is achieved, then the next stage is diagnosis of cause and progression. The cause of any disturbance to good health can be relatively simple to trace, especially if an infection or trauma is involved. In other cases, it can be less obvious than we expect. Accurate diagnosis is the key to a quick return to good health. This applies whatever treatment is chosen. Wrong diagnosis leads to wrong treatment. While the diagnosis is being reached, the progression of the ill health is also observed. It is obvious that a chronic condition that has gone untreated for a long time is going to be harder to deal with.

Once a clear understanding of what is wrong has been achieved, then all the therapeutic options can be reviewed. To a person who is opposed to chemical interventions into their own body, this can be a difficult time. The pharmacological based medical norm will seek to persuade the patient to use prescription drugs. Family and friends may also advise on the various alternating strategies. There is no absolute right or wrong with any treatment, just as there is no absolute certainty of success or failure. We are all so individual that no treatment can have an honest 100 percent guarantee of success. In the majority of cases, a combination of treatments is probably the best and quickest way to a full recovery. Many are aware that some pharmacological medications bring side effects that require further treatment, and this treatment can lead to even more complexities. Usually if prescription medication is used as a relatively short term (a year at most) application, then the benefits should outweigh the downside.

Whatever treatment is decided on, it has to be carried through. So many people fail to comply with whatever is asked of them. They simply do not seem able to take part in their own recovery. Why is sometimes hard to understand. Whatever therapy is used, there should be a regular outcome assessment to check if progress is being made.

If all goes to plan, there is recovery from the ill health situation and then a period of recovery to full health.

If a person chooses to try and heal themselves, this whole cycle still has to be undertaken.

If the patient has health care knowledge of anatomy and physiology with medical training of some sort, then they are better placed to choose their own path to recovery. People trained in acupuncture or Shiatsu will also have studied basic anatomy and physiology. They will also have an understanding of the energy pathways that run through the body. Most will also have experience with yoga and meditation. Once a diagnosis has been made, this further knowledge of themselves could help with self healing in some situations. Not all, but some. In others, a combination of treatments, including self healing, will be beneficial.

Meditation, especially the empty mind version, is a starting point to self healing. With practice, it is possible to reach a state where you have no thoughts, just an empty void. Further practice allows this to be an easy, relaxed state, taking no effort to maintain. Once this is achieved, you can progress to a situation that is sometimes called “all body.” It is a state when you can be aware of every part of your physical body while in this relaxed, no mind condition. Directing all the energy in your body to an area where you require repair or healing is then possible. None of this is easy, but with practice and perseverance, it can be achieved.

Do not make the error of thinking this can replace all other forms of therapy. You will probably not get instant results, although in cases of relatively minor muscle damage, you may get full pain relief quickly. Continue your medications and your other therapeutic approaches, just add self healing to the mix. It does not matter what brings about improvement. Usually it is a combination that is better than single treatment. Just focus on getting well and use every available means to do this. Being too rigid in your choice of assistance is not beneficial.