Psychospiritual Medicine
By Dr. Daniel Shane S. Davidson
I coined the term PsychoSpiritual Medicine in 1996 and Trade Marked it in 1998 as I continued to grow more convinved that there was a solid and concrete interconnection between one's psychospiritual state and eventual state of physical health. PsychoSpiritual Medicine acknowledges the connection between the body, the mind and the soul and their excellent functional inter-relation to wellness and wellbeing.
Throughout the human history we have noticed the referecne to the existance of an inner energy, a source, a being, an existence or a connection that in some way keeps us alive and differentiates us from a physical version of our body without life. Hyppocrates once wrote, “The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well.” This statement for example refers to a inner force.
Being a scientist, I do not accept any statements and claims, unless there is corresponding scientific body of evidence that can scientifically prove its credibility and truth. Otherwise, anyone can make a claim and there would never be a way to differentiate what is to be trusted and what to be ignored.
Throughout the human history we have noticed the referecne to the existance of an inner energy, a source, a being, an existence or a connection that in some way keeps us alive and differentiates us from a physical version of our body without life. Hyppocrates once wrote, “The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well.” This statement for example refers to a inner force.
A Departure From Descartes
People generally accept the basic concept that humans do possess a soul. Many of us actually cultivate our spiritual essence on a daily basis with a spiritual practice. Why is it that as physicians we often ignore using one of the greatest healing tools available?
As physicians and healers, we are presented with the opportunity to treat the whole person: mental, emotional, and physical (mind, body, and spirit). Observing, acknowledging, and documenting these vital components is essential in determining one’s overall health and well-being.
Psychospiritual Medicine
Psychospiritual medicine encompasses the psychological relationship between spirituality and the mind. There are other key factors that influence the psychospiritual medical paradigm, including emotional, social, genetics, familial, and biological; tribal inputs and our personal relationships are also key influences. Psychospiritual medicine is the integration of psychological growth and spiritual attunement. It provides a new and different way of looking at and addressing psychological issues. This involves assisting the patient in learning effective ways of taking greater personal responsibility (a basic tenet in naturopathic medicine) and thereby creating a different response. It also involves viewing the complications of life as not just problems (to solve), but as gateways to a greater understanding of oneself. Crisis can become an opportunity for greater awareness, depending on one’s outlook and what old and dysfunctional habits and patterns one has not yet been able to change.
Clinical Tools
This spiritual inclusion approach recognizes and accesses higher consciousness using mind techniques, mindfulness, meditation, biofeedback, visualization, awareness, imagery, a positive mental outlook, intuition, and other tools, all in the pursuit of greater understanding. Certain brave pioneers believed there must be more effective treatment plans that had not been tapped into yet. One such noble pioneer was Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, who in 1979 recruited chronically ill patients, who were not responding well to traditional treatments, to participate in his newly-formed 8-week stress reduction program – a program we now call Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). These mindfulness-based interventions improved both the mental and physical health of the patients in that original study far beyond anyone’s expectations. This program has become legendary.
How Does Mindfulness Meditation Help Pain?
Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine conducted a study published in PAIN in July 2022 to investigate the effects of mindfulness meditation on pain perception and brain activity. They found that mindfulness meditation interrupts the communication between brain areas involved in pain sensation and those associated with the sense of self.
This interruption reduces the individual’s sense of ownership over pain sensations, leading to decreased pain and suffering. Participants who underwent mindfulness training reported a 32% reduction in pain intensity and a 33% reduction in pain unpleasantness. Brain scans showed reduced synchronization between the thalamus and parts of the default mode network during mindfulness-induced pain relief. This study suggests that mindfulness meditation could offer a non-pharmacological method for pain treatment by decoupling the self-referential appraisal of pain.
Remembering ‘Selfless’ Experiences
Dr. Raphael Millière from Columbia University New York and Professor Albert Newen from Ruhr-Universität Bochum examined whether memories of selfless experiences triggered by psychoactive substances or meditation are credible. Their analysis, published in the journal Erkenntnis on May 12, 2022, suggests that such memories are plausible. They argue that while our everyday consciousness revolves around the self, there are indications that selfless experiences can occur, such as in individuals with neurological impairments or during meditation. The Bochum model of memory suggests that memories are constructed, with self-involvement and mineness of memory being separate aspects. Even if the original experience lacked facets of the self, these aspects can be added during memory construction. Therefore, memories of selfless experiences should be taken seriously.
Living with Schizophrenia
A study by psychologists at the University of Georgia revealed that people with schizophrenia struggle to regulate their emotions effectively, especially as negative emotions increase. Unlike healthy individuals who tend to manage their emotions better as stress levels rise, those with schizophrenia are less likely to employ coping strategies or attempt to change their emotional state when experiencing intense negative emotions.
This abnormality, termed “learned helplessness” or “defeatist beliefs,” may contribute to their reduced efforts in managing emotions during high-stress situations. The researchers suggest that understanding this aspect of emotion regulation could lead to tailored psychological treatments for schizophrenia, potentially aiding in prevention efforts.