This is from The Anatomy of Illness by Norman Cousins.
In the 1970s this man Norman was diagnosed with the debilitating disease ankylosing spondylitis, which causes inflammation in the spine that is so severe it often confines patients' to their beds. On top of this diagnosis, doctors told him that he had a severe connective tissue disease, sometimes referred to as collagen disease. He seemed to identify a pattern - that this onset came after exposure to toxic fumes after adrenal exhaustion. He was stressed out from a business trip gone wrong and this lowered his nervous and immune system's defenses and coincidentally he had several exposures to exhaust fumes at the airport. He was given a 1/500 chance.
So he gets back into the hospital and immediately says this isn't going to work. Why?
He realized that healing is closely tied to the environment. The hospital is full of germs and mental and physical stressors. The food is low quality and highly processed. They do not create conditions for adequate sleep or social connection. There is little to no exposure to fresh air or sunlight. Basically it is an environment designed to induce negative emotion and prevent restoration when what you need is the exact opposite! He decided to check out and book a hotel room instead.
He created a regime of intravenous vitamin C to help with is adrenal system. After starting that his sedimentation rate -- a measure of inflammation -- started decreasing every day. He gave up all the pharmaceuticals and painkillers. He also watched a funny movie every day. He pointed out that 10 minutes of belly laughter was good for 2 hours of pain free sleep. It was a nature anesthetic. Astonishingly, he healed.
He shows that good rest, nutrition, positive emotion, and ultimately the patient taking ownership in collaboration with the treatment provider is the path.
Connections
Proof and perception increase self esteem.