We all think we have a firm grasp of what health means. We are quick to know when we are well or when we feel ill. We believe we understand, or at least can easily access, vast amounts of information about what a healthy lifestyle entails. And we are all familiar with what is necessary to engage in health care. Yet, the current applications of these ideas are mainly punishing and restrictive. They prod us to strive constantly, yet ultimately leave us feeling out of control.

Our definitions and internal constructs of these terms do little to inspire true health. At best, they motivate us to feel driven to continually be doing something to stay on the hamster wheel of striving for wellness. At worst, our ideas inspire guilt, worrying us that we are not deserving, haven't done enough, don't know enough, or just aren't lucky enough to stay on the good side of "healthy."

Why should it matter how we conceptualize these terms? Is this a redundant exercise of splitting hairs and playing with semantics? Not at all. The latent understanding of these concepts fuels our self-evaluations and what we believe is possible. Our fundamental perceptions of what health is—what it means to be fit or sick, how to live a healthy lifestyle, or how to create a supportive healthcare plan—create the boundaries for what we think is achievable regarding our states of health or abilities to heal.

For more than half a century, research has revealed that our beliefs have the single most significant impact on our health. It’s become nearly common knowledge that the beginning of disease occurs with a chronically activated stress response (Cohen, Gianaros, & Maunck, 2016). And while stress definitely causes deleterious physical effects when it proceeds unchecked, researchers are finding that it’s actually the perception of stress, or what we think the impacts might be, that influences the progression of disease (McGonigal, 2015). Plus, our beliefs about stress don't just change our in-the-moment physiological responses. What we expect will happen in response to treatments, the progression of specific diseases, or even the degree of health or disability we expect to experience at different points in our lives is predominantly affected by what we believe will happen, as well (Miller, Colloca, & Kaptchuk, T. 2009).

Our beliefs in outcomes related to health, disease, and healing affect us both negatively and positively. The social clock is a part of a life cycle and aging theory (Rook, Catalano, & Dooley, 1989). This theory describes that we live according to an unconscious social construct to adhere to "appropriate times" to experience certain life milestones. Things like getting our first jobs and homes, marriage and children, promotions, empty nest, grandchildren, and retirement are all governed by an internal construct we have agreed upon as a culture. Our concepts of health and aging are also subject to these cultural expectations.

We generally agree that we will be in our physical primes from approximately 18 to around 35. We anticipate experiencing minor, niggling complaints in our late 30s, with declines in prowess, physical appearance, and sexuality starting in our 40s into our 50s. We expect our cognitive prime to be from around 25 – 55. "Senior moments" begin to be looked for in our 50s and 60s. We forecast a total decline in health and cognitive abilities, at least by our 70s.

Of course, there are deviations from these rules, but we revere these special cases as exceptional specimens. We describe with great awe those who go beyond these boundaries. Though we're happily surprised, the astonishment tells us that these experiences are not what we believe "should" be happening as an experience of aging.

Not only are we subject to constraints on what we believe should be happening in typical age ranges, but we are also highly influenced by our beliefs about the outcomes of illnesses. Certain illnesses have decreed paths and conclusions. We expect the common cold to take a specific number of days to overcome. Infections will resolve in a prescribed time range with proper use of pharmaceuticals; fractures will heal after a few weeks as long as there is proper bone setting; and recovery from surgery will happen within a definitive number of weeks with rest and rehab. Then, there are diseases like diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, seizures, cardiovascular issues, multiple sclerosis, and many mental disorders that are pronounced to be life sentences. Diseases such as these can be managed, but recovery is not expected. And, of course, we have those diseases that we determine to be fatal: cancer, advanced heart, lung, or kidney disease, degenerative neural and muscular diseases, etc.

In addition, we often become our diagnoses. Upon hearing we have a disease, we alter our perceptions of our experience to include what is known about the typical experiences. We start introducing ourselves, as, "Hi, I'm Jane. I have __________." The illness becomes part of our title and, as such, becomes part of "who we are" in our beliefs. We claim our disorders, diseases, and even our symptoms as part and parcel to our narratives. Labeling things like, "my headache," "my anxiety," "my pain," and "my insomnia" create new additions to our identities, and as such become harder and harder to transform. In short, we are doomed to only experience our expectations after encoding these into our self concept. These self-fulfilling prophecies are especially true if we don't seek to become consciously aware of how they affect us.

It is up to us to choose our expectations of health and healing. That is not to say we control the progression of crises or disease – we don’t. However, daring to remain open-minded and curious about changes in life and health can produce radically different outcomes. When we become aware of our programming, accept or reject the premises based on our standards and experience, and respond with responsibility, curiosity, and willingness to change, we find new modes of functioning previously undefined and sometimes unimaginable. When we partner with the chaos (read: change) in our lives instead of joining the Fight Against ______!, we find whole new definitions and avenues for well-being are open to us.

It is my honor to support individuals as they recreate what health and healing mean to them. Sometimes, it's nice to have a sounding board when challenging situations make it unclear how to create new definitions of wellness. If you find yourself in a health or healing situation where you could use a hand navigating, I'll be glad to help.

Dr. Jenny

References

Cohen, S., Gianaros, P. J., & Manuck, S. B. (2016). A stage model of stress and disease. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(4), 456-463.

McGonigal, K. (2015). The upside of stress: Why stress is good for you, and how to get good at it. Penguin Random House

Miller, F. G., Colloca, L., & Kaptchuk, T. J. (2009). The placebo effect: illness and interpersonal healing. Perspectives in biology and medicine, 52(4), 518-539.

Rook, K. S., Catalano, R., & Dooley, D. (1989). The timing of major life events: Effects of departing from the social clock. American Journal of Community Psychology, 17(2), 233-258.

What is Health, What is Healing?

Considering a Redesign of Concepts to Initiate Self-Healing