Psychological aspects
Firstly it is important to mention explicitly that the text below speaks of skin diseases in general and not specifically about CMTC. Actually are there two psychological aspects to recognise by skin diseases. The first is that those with a skin disease appear to be different than others and show up in the negative sense.
As a child you also get questions over the visible part of your disease. Without doubt this is experienced by various parents. This can already have a negative influence on those with the disease by which they are handled differently by others in the vicinity (school, swimming baths, beach, etc.). The second is the influence of your attitude, or with a beautiful expression ‘mental condition', on your body. If you feel good you will also feel physically better.
A real psychological shock of a very emotional experience can make us feel not only sick and tired but can also make us physically ill. Various researches have shown that a number of diseases partially exist in the mental state in which we are. Deep sadness can reduce our resistance. The desire to live is very important. An example is the death of a partner that causes such a psychological shock to the other partner that the immune and resistance system is affected. Our immune system protects us against various diseases. When this system is affected then we become vulnerable to various diseases. As we become older, this system also decreases in force, with the consequence that older people become extra vulnerable. This could explain why with older people, after the death of their partner they become ill quicker than when the same overcomes a young person.
Although the relationship between psychological stress and emotional shock and diseases is actually, scientifically seen, can be barely shown, everything points in that direction. The branch of science that is involved with this is called ‘psycho-neuro-immunology’ and this has discovered that a certain part of the brain plays a great role in this. This part is sensitive to emotions and passes this to the central nervous system and hormone system. Then the adrenal glands react to these negative emotions by discharging certain substances. These discharged substances are in their turn again important for our resistance system. Perhaps they work negatively on the resistance system, but it is also possible that these substances also call up a reaction in the brain.
The conclusion is pretty sure that psychological shocks and emotional stress affect our resistance system. Examples of auto-immune diseases in which it is recognised that emotional stress plays a role are: allergies, eczema and sometimes diabetes. A psychological shock or emotional stress is not the cause of a disease. The basis must already be present. The negative influence of the mental state causes our resistance system to be weakened so that the disease gets the chance to occur. This is a recognised phenomena that some cancer patients are cured in a miraculous way without for which a medical explanation cannot be given. A number of these people have had psychological checks in which it appeared that despite the various life styles certain similarities came to the fore. After these people had heard that they were seriously ill, their life changed drastically.
The main thread was that the people became happier, more optimistic and more active. One can ask whether there is a connection between thoughts, emotions and the immune system. It appears from practice that a positive and active approach is important. However, you must be careful with the proposition that when you are active and live happily, you will not get ill. The feeling of having control over your life, being able to handle situations and the feeling of confidence, acts to improve health.
What must be noted is that you must not think that you cannot be sad. It is important to show feelings and not to walk around with sadness and frustration. This also has a negative influence on the resistance system. A simple act like an arm around your shoulder or a compliment can have an enormously positive effect. A good example of this is the well-known kiss on a sore spot by a child. This appears often to have a miraculous curing effect. Sharing sadness and emotions with others is also effective (think about on the expression: ‘shared pain is half pain’).
Summing up, you can say that sadness and emotions are not to be avoided, but they must be processed well.
With thanks to Dr. W.W. van der Schaar (medical psychologist)
Firstly it is important to mention explicitly that the text below speaks of skin diseases in general and not specifically about CMTC. Actually are there two psychological aspects to recognise by skin diseases. The first is that those with a skin disease appear to be different than others and show up in the negative sense.
As a child you also get questions over the visible part of your disease. Without doubt this is experienced by various parents. This can already have a negative influence on those with the disease by which they are handled differently by others in the vicinity (school, swimming baths, beach, etc.). The second is the influence of your attitude, or with a beautiful expression ‘mental condition', on your body. If you feel good you will also feel physically better.
A real psychological shock of a very emotional experience can make us feel not only sick and tired but can also make us physically ill. Various researches have shown that a number of diseases partially exist in the mental state in which we are. Deep sadness can reduce our resistance. The desire to live is very important. An example is the death of a partner that causes such a psychological shock to the other partner that the immune and resistance system is affected. Our immune system protects us against various diseases. When this system is affected then we become vulnerable to various diseases. As we become older, this system also decreases in force, with the consequence that older people become extra vulnerable. This could explain why with older people, after the death of their partner they become ill quicker than when the same overcomes a young person.
Although the relationship between psychological stress and emotional shock and diseases is actually, scientifically seen, can be barely shown, everything points in that direction. The branch of science that is involved with this is called ‘psycho-neuro-immunology’ and this has discovered that a certain part of the brain plays a great role in this. This part is sensitive to emotions and passes this to the central nervous system and hormone system. Then the adrenal glands react to these negative emotions by discharging certain substances. These discharged substances are in their turn again important for our resistance system. Perhaps they work negatively on the resistance system, but it is also possible that these substances also call up a reaction in the brain.
The conclusion is pretty sure that psychological shocks and emotional stress affect our resistance system. Examples of auto-immune diseases in which it is recognised that emotional stress plays a role are: allergies, eczema and sometimes diabetes. A psychological shock or emotional stress is not the cause of a disease. The basis must already be present. The negative influence of the mental state causes our resistance system to be weakened so that the disease gets the chance to occur. This is a recognised phenomena that some cancer patients are cured in a miraculous way without for which a medical explanation cannot be given. A number of these people have had psychological checks in which it appeared that despite the various life styles certain similarities came to the fore. After these people had heard that they were seriously ill, their life changed drastically.
The main thread was that the people became happier, more optimistic and more active. One can ask whether there is a connection between thoughts, emotions and the immune system. It appears from practice that a positive and active approach is important. However, you must be careful with the proposition that when you are active and live happily, you will not get ill. The feeling of having control over your life, being able to handle situations and the feeling of confidence, acts to improve health.
What must be noted is that you must not think that you cannot be sad. It is important to show feelings and not to walk around with sadness and frustration. This also has a negative influence on the resistance system. A simple act like an arm around your shoulder or a compliment can have an enormously positive effect. A good example of this is the well-known kiss on a sore spot by a child. This appears often to have a miraculous curing effect. Sharing sadness and emotions with others is also effective (think about on the expression: ‘shared pain is half pain’).
Summing up, you can say that sadness and emotions are not to be avoided, but they must be processed well.
With thanks to Dr. W.W. van der Schaar (medical psychologist)
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