Psychoneuroimmunology

Hi Everyone.

While I see that alternative therapies can cause friction in people from reading some of these threads, I do feel that everyone has the right to follow a path they believe in. I personally feel strongly that hypnotherapy has a power to effect change, I do not think it can ‘cure’ but for me I would like to try it in an attempt to improve my quality of life for as long as possibe. I also feel the the mind has abilities beyond what we sometimes can accept, and who knows it might help me so is worth trying.

There is a type of hypnotherpay called psychoneuroimmunology, is based on a study done with mice using saccharine and cyclophosphomide, if you want to read more about what happened then a quick google will find the actual outcomes.

I am trying to find a practitioner in the UK in an attempt to arrange some sessions for myself, but cannot track anyone down! I live near Northampton, and throught I would put out a plea on here in case someone can reccommend a good hypnotherapist, or even one who practices psychoneuroimmunology if they know of one.

Many thanks in advance for any information.

Best wishes
Nikki

Hi jantharra!

I’ve just been reading about the LCCH (London College of Clinical Hypnosis) where they are doing classes on psychoneuroimmunology for professionals. They have clinics in various parts of the country - London, Belfast, Birmingham, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester - don’t know how near any of those are to you. They might be worth ringing as they will certainly know what you are talking about. Their phone numbers are on their website - you can just Google it in. Hope that might help.

V.

Dear jantharra, I’,m very interested as to why this particular thread can cause friction and a lot of feelings. Lets keep this thread going and hear from ladies who have got benefit, hope, relief from alternative/complementary medicine!!

Hi V. thanks for that, will get in touch with them

Best wishes

Nikki

Hi leadie, I didn’t mean this thead particuarly, read some others on other sites as welll and some people feel strongly against alternative therapies, although of course some for and swear by them, nothing wrong with some passion on a topic!! I have mentioned I was looking into this and got a lecture from a friend, saying it was all mumbo jumbo rubbish!

Each to thier own as far as I am concerned however.

Nikki

Hi Nikki

I am a clinical psychologist and have trained in using hypnosis. There is a very good research base for its efficacy in some conditions. As a psychologist I also believe that the human mind is a very powerful thing, and that hypnosis can improve quality of life, although I do not believe that “positive thinking” on its own can cure cancer. I must admit that I have never heard of psychoneuroimmunology but will look up the website to see what I can learn.

I would just urge you to make sure you find a practitioner who is qualified and registered with a professional body as there are a lot of charlatans out there!

Best wishes

Gwyn

Hi Nikki

I just wanted to thank you for your post which really inspired me last night.

I had a really emotional week last week. I had my house rabbit Jack put to sleep after nursing/worring about him for 2 weeks (11years old and I’d had him since I got divorced). I also retired from AstraZeneca (on ill health grounds) where I’d worked as a chemist for 35 years. I worked on Arimidex and Zoladex plus other drugs.

I was really tired last night but after reading your post,I still went searching for my books/cds by Candace Pert on pyschosomatic wellness. Look up Candace Pert on Wilkipedia, she is the neuroscientist who discovered the opiate receptor on cells. Her work in 1985 helped launch the new field known as pyschneuroimmunology (PNI) although controversial since its inception today its strong and flourishing with thousands of scientists participating through their research.(ref from Everything You Need to Know to Feel Good- Candace Pert).

I also work as an NLP coach/hypnotherapist and use hypnosis, I’m going to explore using PNI guided imagary with my practice partner, we love trying new stuff on ourselves.

I listen to loads of hypnotherapy cd’s and there is a lot of rubbish out there but Psychosmatic Wellness by C.Pert is really good, its available from Amazon. I’ve just ordered ‘Your body is Y
your Subconscious Mind’ I’ll let you know what I think of it.

Well I’d better stop reading my book and get something done, thank you again for the inspiration even though I’ve got secondary bc, I feel there is so much to learn, adventures to have inside my mind and outside it. I’m looking forward to the New Year now.

Best wishes
Sue

It is a fascinating topic. The mind is so powerful that anything that uses that power in a positive way should never be dismissed as mumbo jumbo. I do agree that it is so important to find a regulated, qualified practitioner as the unregulated can do so much harm, especially if you feel vulnerable.

Thanks Sue, that’s an interesting read by the sounds of it. It makes sense that we should be able to alter our thinking. I’ve used a lot of mental techniques to overcome fears in the middle of the night and to haul myself out of bed during the nastier bits of chemo too… fighting fit is a phrase that’s got me through the summer and now I have to work really hard to be as healthy as possible like most of us do and the mind is no exception.

Angie

Dear All ,have been watching the bristol cancercare dvd and they talk about pni’s and the benefits of meditation, guided imagery and relaxation techniques

I think that psychoneuroimmunology is seen as a new science which studies the interactions between the nervous and immune systems and between thinking processes and health. I wouldn’t see it as an alternative therapy but as an emerging science.

Places like the Penny Brohn centre (formally Brsitol Cancer Centre) have seized on some of the findings of psychoneuroimmunology to back up their work.

There is undoubtedly a link between body and mind.of course there is…but visualising cancer cells dropping off to sleep or being attached by warriors, or imagining fast flowing streams won’t do a lot for cancer, though it may help some people feel calmer. Miriam Engelberg has some hilarious cartoons about visualisation in her wonderful book: Cancer made me a Shallower Person.

I don’t think you can find psychoneuroimmunologists as such though practitioners of NLP etc may use some of the findings.

I do think hypnotherapy can be very useful. There is scientific evidence to support this. I feel strongly that all medince should be backed by scientific investigation not wishful thinking.

Jne

Hi Gwyn, thanks for the reply. I have always beleived that there is a ‘mind over matter’ approach that can help me so am just looking around for the best solution to get some hypnotherapy, after all if I believe it in, it should be a positive experiece at the very least. Hope you find the info of interest when you track it down, there is quite a bit online.

Nikki

Hi Sue, crikey, didn’t expect to inspire anyone as was just being selfish in asking for me me me :)) So sorry to hear you are going through a tough time, I have recently been diagnosed with spread, so know how you feel and as a pet owner, they are so special to me so I understand also about how hard it is to say goodbye to our ‘furry kids’ I have always believed in a place called Rainbow Bridge for pets, if you google it you can read the poem. It’s a comforting thought for me.

I don’t know if I am being totally stupid but I have always had a belief that I wouldn’t make it past 50, and my lifeline on may hand is split at around that mark, ok ok it’s daft, but if subconciously I can help myself get rid of my stupid doomsday thinking, maybe it will help me get through this, who knows eh, anything is worth a try. I know I cannot cure myself with my mind, but I can help myself deal with things and find a good place inside to go when things get tough I beleive.

Thanks for those book recommends, will have a look at them. I agree there are a lot of rubbishy things around on this subject and knew there would be someone on here with some good advice. Look forward to hearing your throughts on the new book and how the PNI ‘testing’ comes along with your partner. If you need another test subject, I am available lol.

Take care
Nikki

Hi Cathy59, I agree, I do think we can acheive a lot of things by focussing our minds in different ways. I suffered from depression some years back and went through 8 sessions with a cognitive therapist, can honestly say it changed my life and depression has not returned since, even through all the BC traumas of the last 2 years!

I will try anything right now to be honest, so why not something I believe in.

Best wishes
Nikki

Thanks leadie, will have try and get a look at that.

Best wishes
Nikki

Hi Jane, thanks for the tips. I agree that visualising all that isn’t going to stop my cancers spread, but if I can find a calmer place to cope with it through this, because I do believe in it, then it’s worth a go.

I have always been quite a spititual person, believing in there being ‘something’ more than this, it’s not provable, it’s probably complete poppyc*** but, if a person finds strength in something then it is no bad thing is it. I am not in the least bit religious (although I must admit to some frantic praying when I was rediagnosed, but lets face it I haven’t been in touch since I was about 6, so he probably aint listening now!) but it does help many people so I can understand why people use it as a support.

Mind and body are connected for sure, and I feel it would benefit me to try some hypnotherapy when I have an inner belief in it’s ability to change behaviours and therefore help me through the darkness that I find smothering me while I come to terms with dying before I make 40 something (if I ever do, which is unlikely) if I can find someone that uses PNI techniques, then that is the right thing for me I believe.

Thanks for the advice Jane

Best wishes
Nikki

Hi Nikka

Thanks for your comforting words re my furry friend Jack and for telling me about the Rainbow Bridge. I’m sad about losing him but thats the price I have to pay for all the lovely times I had with him.

And yes, you did inspire me, we (in the NLP community laugh and say) it’s all hypnosis, we are all effecting each other all the time with what we say and how we say it. Sometimes we have a massive effect on someone and we don’t even know we are doing it.

Strange that you mentioned the lifeline, I’ve got really long one and I was very surprised when I was you won’t be here in xxxyears.! Daft isnt it, I dont really believe in palm reading but I still believed having a long lifeline meant I would live a long time. Beliefs are an important area in human thinking and something I’m really interested in (too long to go into here).

Shame you dont live closer or you could do hypnosis with us (in our play sessions), I’m at Junction 20 on the M6. I know you are close to Northampton.

I hope you find a good hypnotherapist close by.

Good luck and keep in touch

Love
Sue