Psychological Treatment for Chronic Disease

Did you know that inflammation in the body is caused by the nervous system, which is powerfully influenced by our emotions? Microbiologists know this and have even named it: neurogenic inflammation. Furthermore, no matter what it is called, research has found that early adversity in life is connected to inflammation as an adult.

In 1965 a survey noted that people with rheumatoid arthritis were prone to self-abnegation, or self-sacrificial doing for others, suppressing anger and excessive concern about social acceptability (Maté. The Myth of Normal. 2022).

Maté makes the point that treating chronic illnesses like Rheumatoid Arthritis should involve treating the underlying emotional causes of the disease, as much as the physical symptoms. Interestingly, and here I point out from a personal perspective, mental health treatment for chronic disease can have phenomenal results on the physical level.

Are you living with a chronic disease? Is counselling or mental health therapy part of your treatment plan? Why or why not?

Feel free to leave your answer below.