Is There a Connection Between Mental States and Physical Well-being?
Have you ever felt a sudden wave of dread, turning a tranquil moment into a heart-pounding nightmare? In just a few seconds, your heart races, your blood pressure skyrockets, and your stomach feels queasy. This is the power of the amyggdala, a tiny part of your brain that can send your entire world spinning when faced with frightening circumstances or thoughts.
Known as the fight, flight, freeze, or fawn response, one single situation or thought can make your entire world seem upside down. I remember being pregnant in New Zealand, attending a Lamaze class, and suddenly realizing that I might have left food cooking in the oven. In an instant, I went from relaxed and happy to completely terrified. I felt nauseous and could barely think rationally, my mind and heart racing. Thankfully, I had only baked some potatoes, but for those 60 minutes, the fear lingered. Once back home, I calmed down, my heartbeat slowed, and my stomach felt normal again. My world hadn't changed, only my thoughts, yet my body transformed profoundly.
These experiences led me to ponder the power of thoughts on our health. In 27 Flavors of Fulfillment: How to Live Life to the Fullest, Dr. Robert Young poses the question, "Can Positive or Negative Thoughts and Emotions Affect Your Body, Mind and Spiritual Health?" The answer, according to scientific research and anecdotal evidence, is a resounding yes!
Our emotions and thoughts can produce more metabolic acids than even the most acidic foods. We can fall ill from fear, worry, and insecurity. Anger, jealousy, and other negative emotions impact our health in damaging ways as well. As Baha'u'llah, the prophet and founder of the Baha'i Faith, stated in Dr. J.E. Esselmont's book Baha'u'llah and the New Era, "Jealousy consumes the body and anger burns the liver: avoid these two as you would a lion."
On the flip side, positive thinking can counteract these effects. Since ancient times, we've known that our thoughts shape our happiness. The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius once said, "The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts. The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts."
We think thousands of thoughts every day, many of them unfounded negativity. By facing destructive thoughts about ourselves or others and giving ourselves compassion during challenging times, we can control negativity and its resulting ill effects. Moreover, challenging these negative thoughts can help raise our consciousness about others' influence on us. As Abdu'l-Baha, the son and successor of Baha'u'llah, once said, "People treat you as they are, not as you are."
To foster positivity, concentrate on the good. Abdu'l-Baha said, "The reality of man is his thought, not his material body. If a man's thought is constantly aspiring towards heavenly subjects, then does he become saintly." By focusing on positive thoughts, we can bring about happiness, inner peace, and better health for both mind and body. This approach can lead to the highest form possible - spiritual actions of love and service.
Enrichment Data:
Emotional Health
- Positive thinking can help alleviate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and poor stress regulation (Ritter, 2005; Cohen et al., 2007)
- Controlled negative thinking can help improve problem-solving abilities (Friedman et al., 2007)
Spiritual Health
- Negative thinking can heighten feelings of hopelessness and disconnection from personal values and beliefs, potentially affecting one's sense of purpose and connection to others (Hill, 2013)
- Positive thinking can foster increased hope, connection, and purpose, promoting a deeper sense of spiritual well-being (Hill, 2013)
Physical Health
- Positive thinking can help reduce stress and anxiety (Cohen et al., 2007)
- Positive thinking is associated with stronger immune systems (Cohen et al., 2003)
- Chronic stress from negative thinking can weaken the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to illnesses (Michie et al., 2015)
- The facts presented in 27 Flavors of Fulfillment: How to Live Life to the Fullest suggest that positive or negative thoughts and emotions can significantly impact our physical health, mental health, and spiritual well-being.
- Moreover, scientific research indicates that positive thinking can bolster immune systems, reduce stress, alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety, and foster increased hope, connection, and purpose, ultimately promoting better mental and spiritual health.
