| From Holocaust to Healthcare Revolution |
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| Ian Weinberg | |||
| Thursday, 21 June 2007 | |||
 
This is no new-age fad. The study of mind-body connection, or psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), is a science that has produced some conclusive results over the past ten years. The phenomenon of the influence of state of mind on physical health was first studied by renowned Austrian psychiatrist, neurologist and Holocaust survivor, Viktor Frankl (1905-1997). Frankl observed that the key to survival in the concentration camps was the will to live. Those inmates whom found purpose and meaning in their lives were able to remain stronger and healthier and thus ensure their survival. Those who felt hopeless and helpless were more likely to succumb to disease and be exterminated. Frankl’s observations lead to his life’s work and the establishment of PNI as a medical science. More recent PNI research has conclusively established a direct causative link between an individual’s sense of purpose in life and that person’s wellness and performance. To be in a chronic negative state of mind, or a “hopeless-helpless” mind state, is very dangerous, because it alters body chemistry which in turn suppresses the body’s immune system and increases vulnerability to a variety of diseases from arthritis to coronary artery disease – or TB or HIV/Aids. There is a heavy two-way traffic between thoughts and emotions and our body structure and functions. Literally, you are what you feel. The spin-off of this research is that for some years, PNI techniques have been available to us to enable us to analyse an individual’s state of mind and identify his or her predilection to certain diseases. By helping to shift the mind state, one can intervene to radically reduce that person’s susceptibility to such illness. This is a simple summary of a very complicated process – but the process has proven medical success. Treating the mind state is now widely used around the world to supplement conventional therapies, in particular in the treatment of cancer. Now this principle forms the basis of a groundbreaking new wellness programme that has been developed in South Africa. The result of fifteen years of local research in PNI, this is an application that can have a profound impact on the wellness programmes and HIV/Aids programmes being used in South Africa’s corporate sector. What is the relevance of using PNI-based therapy in the workplace? A good illustration is that of the effect of mind state in an average South African call centre. Call centre work is highly stressful and salaries are often low (around R500 per day). The result is an absenteeism rate of around 10% at a cost of R21 million per annum to the employer! Indeed, international studies show that the cost related to staff absenteeism in the corporate environment can be as much as 15% of payroll per annum. The problem, however, is more far-reaching than that. Often it is at senior executive level that stressful working conditions take the greatest toll, affecting the very backbone of a company. Employees in general are also subjected to hugely stressful conditions, not only at work but also often in their personal lives, in a society where factors such as poverty, social imbalances, transport problems, HIV/Aids and crime are the norm. Certainly the time is ripe to bring PNI preventative techniques into the workplace. By harnessing this science to state-of-the-art absence assessment and accurate diagnosis, one can devise tailored strategies to help a company keep its staff in the workplace and extend their productivity. PNI workplace applications can help individuals to establish a positive sense of purpose and meaning which translates into better physical and emotional health, better wellness and enhanced performance. What is most exciting is the possible impact of PNI techniques in the prevention and treatment of HIV/Aids. It is perhaps no coincidence that the spread of HIV is most rapid amongst those of our people who suffer a collective mind-set of despair because their cultural roots and traditional support were disrupted by the years of oppression. Imagine the consequences of being able to reverse such a mind state. With PNI-based therapy we have a powerful tool within our grasp, which has the potential to become an effective supplement to current anti-retroviral treatment. Viktor Frankl would be the first to agree and approve.
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