MIND AND BODY/PART 10
CHAPTER X
THE REACTION OF THE
PHYSICAL
As we have stated in our
Foreword, there is a constant action and reaction between the Mental States and
the Physical Conditions. In this book, from the nature of our subject, we have
started with the phase of the Mental State and worked from that point to the
consideration of the Physical Condition. In the same way, many physiologists
start from the phase of the Physical Condition, and work up to the Mental
State. But, starting from either phase, the candid investigator must admit that
there is an endless chain of action and reaction between Mind and Body—between
Body and Mind.
This action and reaction
works along the lines of building-up as well as tearing-down. For instance, if
a person’s Mental States are positive, optimistic, cheerful and uplifting, the
body will respond and the Physical Conditions will improve. The Physical
Conditions, thus improving, will react upon the Mental States giving them a
clearness and strength greater than previously manifested. The improved Mental
State again acts upon the Physical Conditions, improving the latter still
further. And so on, an endless chain of cause and effect, each effect becoming
a cause for a subsequent effect, and each cause arising from a preceding
effect. Likewise, a depressed, harmful Mental State will act upon the Physical
Conditions, which in turn will react upon the Mental States, and so on, in an
endless chain of destructive cause and effect. It is a striking illustration of
the old Biblical statement: “To him who hath shall be given; to him who hath
not shall be taken away even that which he hath.” In improving either the
Mental State or the Physical Condition, one gives an uplift to the whole
process of action and reaction; while, whatever adversely affects either Mental
State or Physical Condition, starts into operation a depressing and destructive
process of action and reaction. The ideal to be aimed at is, of course, “A
healthy Mind in a healthy Body”—and the two are so closely related
that what affects one, favorably or unfavorably, is sure to react upon the
other.
Just as the influence of
the Mental States over the Physical Conditions has been shown to operate by
means of the Sympathetic Nervous System (controlled of course by the
Subconscious Mind), so the influence of Physical Conditions over Mental States
may be explained in physiological terms. In order to understand the reaction of
the Body upon the Mind, we have but to recall the fact that the Subconscious
Mind is the builder and preserver of the very brain-cells which are used by the
Conscious Mind in manifesting thought. And also, that the entire Nervous
System, both Cerebro-Spinal as well as Sympathetic, is really under the control
of the Subconscious Mind so far as growth and nourishment is concerned. The
very brain and nerve-centers in and through which is manifested thought,
feeling, emotion, and will, are nourished by the Sympathetic System, and are
hurt by anything affecting the latter. The Sympathetic System joins all parts
of the organism so closely together that trouble in one part is
reflected in other parts. Just as depressing thoughts will cause the
organs to function improperly, so will the improper functioning of an organ
tend to produce depressing thoughts.
Herbert A. Parkyn, M. D.,
well states the action and reaction of Mind and Body, as follows: “A tree is
much like a human being. Give it plenty of fresh air, water and a rich soil,
and it will flourish. In the same degree in which it is deprived of these does
it wilt, and the first part of the tree to wilt when the nutrition
becomes imperfect is the top. This is owing to the force of gravity; the
blood of the tree, the sap, having to overcome this force of nature when
nourishing the highest leaves. The blood of man is also affected by this same
force, and the moment a man’s circulation begins to run down, owing to stinted
nutrition, we find that the first symptoms of trouble appear in the head....
The brain failing to receive its accustomed amount of blood, such troubles as
impaired memory, inability to concentrate the attention, sleeplessness,
nervousness, irritableness, the blues and slight headaches develop; and the
impulses sent all over the body becoming feebler, the various organs do
not perform their functions as satisfactorily as usual. The impulses to the
stomach and bowels becoming weaker and weaker, dyspepsia, or constipation, or
both, soon follow. As soon as these, the main organs of nutrition, are out of
order, nutrition fails rapidly and more ‘head symptoms’ develop. Every impulse
of the muscular system leaves the brain, and the strength of these impulses
depends upon the nutrition to the brain centers controlling the various groups.
As the nutrition to these centers declines, the whole muscular system,
including the muscles of the bowels, becomes weaker and the patient complains
that he exhausts easily. The impulses for elimination becoming weaker, waste
products remain in the circulation, and any of the evils, which naturally
follow this state of affairs, such as rheumatism, sick-headache, biliousness,
etc., are likely to develop. The centers of the special senses feeling the
lessening of the vital fluid, such troubles as impaired vision, impaired
hearing, loss of appetite (sense of taste) and inability to detect
odors quickly soon follow. The sense of touch becomes more acute, and it
is for this reason that one in poor health becomes hypersensitive. Lowered
circulation in the mucous membrane of the throat and nose is often the cause of
nasal catarrh appearing on the scene as an early symptom.”
It will thus be seen that
the Physical Conditions, perhaps originally caused by depressing Mental States,
have brought about a state of affairs in which the brain is imperfectly
nourished and which consequently cannot think properly. The liver being out of
order, the spirits are depressed; the brain being imperfectly nourished, the attention
and will are weakened, and the patient finds it hard to use his mind to
influence his bodily conditions. The bowels not moving properly, the
waste-products poison the circulation, and the brain is unable to think
clearly. In fact, the whole physical system is often so disturbed that a
condition known as “nervous prostration” sets in, in which it is practically
impossible for the patient to hold the Mental States which will
improve the Physical Conditions. In these cases outside help is generally
necessary, unless in cases where a sudden shock, or an urgent necessity arouses
the latent mental forces of the individual, and he asserts the power that is in
him, and begins to reverse the chain of cause and effect and to start on the
upward climb.
The following additional
quotation from Dr. Parkyn, gives us a vivid insight into the effect upon the
Mental States of abnormal Physical Conditions: Dr. Parkyn says: “No organ of
the body can perform its functions properly when the amount of blood supplied
to it is insufficient, and we find, when the blood supply to the brain is not
up to the normal standard, that brain functions are interfered with to a degree
corresponding to the reduction in the circulation. Since the amount of blood
normally supplied to the brain is lessened in nervous prostration, we find that
the memory fails and the ability to concentrate the attention disappears. The
reasoning power becomes weakened and the steadiest mind commences to
vacillate. Fears and hallucinations of every description may fill the mind
of a patient at this stage, and every impression he receives is likely to be
greatly distorted or misconstrued. Melancholia with a constant fear of
impending danger is often present. In fact, the brain seems to lose even the
power to control its functions, and the mind becomes active day and night....
The reduction of the nutrition to the brain lessens the activity of all the
cerebral centers also, and digestion becomes markedly impaired, thereby
weakening the organ itself upon which the supply of vital force depends.”
The physiologist is able to
furnish a great variety of illustrations of the effect of Physical Conditions
over Mental States. He shows that many cases of mental trouble are due to
eye-strain, and other muscular disturbances, and that serious mental complaints
sometimes arise by reason of physical lesions. The very terms used to designate
certain abnormal mental states show the relation, as for instance, melancholia which
is derived from the Greek words meaning “black bile”; and hysteria,
which is derived from the Greek word meaning “the womb; or uterus.” Every
one knows the Mental States produced by a sluggish liver, or by dyspepsia, or
from constipation. We all know the difference between our mental capacity for
thinking when we are tired, as contrasted with that accompanying the refreshed
physical condition. No man, whatever his philosophy, can truthfully claim to be
able to maintain a placid, even disposition, and a perfectly controlled temper,
when he is suffering from a boil on the back of his neck. And, all know that
after indulging in the midnight “Welsh rarebit,” one is apt to dream of his
grandmother’s ghost, or see dream elephants with wings. All know the delirium
produced by overindulgence in liquor, and the hallucinations that accompany
fever. The effect of drugs, tobacco, and alcohol upon the Mental States are
well known. “Philip drunk” is a very different mentality from “Philip sober.”
The Mental States accompanying particular diseases are well known to physicians.
One disease predisposes the sufferer to gloominess, while another will
induce a state of feverish hilarity. Some leading authorities now hold that
many cases of insanity are really due to abnormal conditions of the blood,
rather than to any diseased condition of the brain.
One of the most marked
instances of the action and reaction of Mental States and Physical Conditions
is met with in the activities of the sexual organism. Psychologists very
properly hold that sexual excesses and abnormalities are largely due to
improper thinking, that is, by allowing the attention and interest to dwell too
strongly and continuously upon subjects connected with the activities of that
part of the physical system. Mental treatment along the lines of Suggestive
Therapeutics has resulted in curing many persons of troubles of this sort. But,
note the correlated fact—excess and abnormalities of the kind mentioned, almost
invariably react upon the mentality of the person indulging in them, and
softening of the brain, paralysis, or imbecility have often arisen directly
from these physical abuses. It will be seen that any sane treatment of these
troubles must take into consideration both Body and Mind. In the same way
it is a fact that just as certain Mental States, notably those of fear, worry,
grief, jealousy, etc., will injuriously affect the organs of digestion and
assimilation, so will imperfect functioning of these organs tend to produce
depressing mental states similar to those just mentioned. Many instances of the
strange correspondences are met with in the study of physiological-psychology,
or psychological-physiology.
In order to more fully
appreciate the relation between the Body and the Mind, let us read the
following lines from Prof. Halleck: “Marvelous as are the mind’s achievements,
we must note that it is as completely dependent upon the nervous system as is a
plant upon sun, rain and air. Suppose a child of intelligent parents were
ushered into the world without a nerve leading from his otherwise perfect brain
to any portion of his body, with no optic nerve to transmit the glorious
sensations from the eye, no auditory nerve to conduct the vibrations of the
mother’s voice, no tactile nerves to convey the touch of a hand, no olfactory
nerve to rouse the brain with the delicate aroma from the orchards and the
wild flowers in spring, no gustatory, thermal or muscular nerves. Could such a
child live, as the years rolled on, the books of Shakespeare and of Milton
would be opened in vain before the child’s eyes. The wisest men might talk to
him with utmost eloquence, all to no purpose. Nature could not whisper one of
her inspiring truths into his deaf ear, could not light up that dark mind with
a picture of the rainbow or of a human face. No matter how perfect might be the
child’s brain and his inherited capacity for mental activities, his faculties
would remain for this life shrouded in Egyptian darkness. Perception could give
memory nothing to retain, and thought could not weave her matchless fabrics
without materials.”
The very feelings or
emotions themselves are so closely related to the accompanying physical
expressions, that it is difficult to distinguish between cause and effect, or
indeed to state positively which really is the cause of the other. Prof.
William James, in some of his works, strongly indicates this close
relation, as for instance when he says: “The feeling, in the coarser emotions,
result from the bodily expression.... My theory is that the bodily changes
follow directly the perception of the exciting fact, and that our feeling of
the same changes as they occur is the emotion.... Particular
perceptions certainly do produce widespread bodily effects by a sort of
immediate physical influence, antecedent to the arousal of an emotion or
emotional idea.... Every one of the bodily changes, whatsoever it may be,
is felt, acutely or obscurely, the moment it occurs.... If we fancy
some strong emotion, and then try to abstract from our consciousness of it all
the feelings of its bodily symptoms, we have nothing left behind.... A
disembodied human emotion is a sheer nonentity. I do not say that it is a
contradiction in the nature of things, or that pure spirits are necessarily
condemned to cold intellectual lives; but I say that for us emotion
disassociated from all bodily feelings is inconceivable. The more closely I
scrutinize my states, the more persuaded I become that whatever ‘coarse’
affections and passions I have are in very truth constituted by, and made up
of, those bodily changes which we ordinarily call their expression or
consequence.... But our emotions must always be inwardly what
they are, whatever may be the physiological ground of their apparition. If they
are deep, pure, worthy, spiritual facts on any conceivable theory of their
physiological source, they remain no less deep, more spiritual, and worthy of
regard on this present sensational theory.”
A deeper consideration of
the relation between Mind and Body would necessitate our invading the field of
metaphysical speculation, which we have expressed our intention to avoid doing.
Enough for the purposes of our present consideration is: the
recognition that each individual is possessed of a mind and a material body;
that these two phases or aspects of himself are closely related by an infinite
variety of ties and filaments; that these two phases of his being act and react
upon each other constantly and continuously; that in all considerations of the
questiontion of either mental or physical well-being, or both, that
both of these phases of being must be considered; that any system of
therapeutics which ignores either of these phases, is necessarily “one-sided”
and incomplete; and that, while, for convenience and clearness of specialized
thinking, we may consider the Mind and the Body as separate and independent of
each other, yet, we must, in the end, recognize their interdependence, mutual
relation, action and reaction.
Thus, the New Psychology
recognizes the importance of the Body, while the New Physiology recognizes the
importance of the Mind. And, in the end, we feel that both physiology and
psychology must be recognized as being but two different phases of one great
science—the Science of Life.
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