The Physiology of Optimism - Baclofen, Curing our Alcoholism

"You've only got three months to live".

"Your prognosis is under six months".

"Only 25% of patients survive one year".

I wonder how many times those sentiments become self-fulfilling prophesies. In actual fact, these days, doctors pontificate in this way less and less. But, as I sit here vomiting, itching, sweating, tired and scared, these things begin to occupy my overactive imagination.

Neuroimmunology and psychoimmunology are sciences that I had absolutely no exposure to when I was at medical school in the early 80's. But the effects of the 'nervous system' in its wides sense on the body's ability to deal with physical lesions and illness are becoming increasingly recognised and even quantifiable.

It is clear that the power of a doctor's prognosis, if articulated powerfully enough may well set in train an inexorable bodily process that almost ensures that the outcome matches that prognosis.

In which case, might not the opposite be possible? What if dire prognoses are ditched, simply to be replaced by more comforting, hope giving, brighter sentiments? Might this, too, result in measureable, quantifiable physiological effects, with (hopefully) beneficial outcomes for all concerned? It appears so.

So, as I sit here in the middle of the night, in my underpants, wondering why someone so tired cannot get to sleep, I have decided upon altering my body's physiology from within.

I'm going to adopt the Physiology of Optimism. I'm off back to bed now to try and get enough rest to throw myself into that changing process first thing in the morning.

I'm sure none of that made any sense at all.

May your God look down favourably upon us all.

Pip xx