Most human beings suffer from some form of emotional disturbance or another during their lifetime.
Whether it becomes classified as a full-blown disease/disorder or the transitory episodes of the more common situational anxiety and depression, no one of us is spared from its often debilitating effects.
In fact the jazz-influenced notion of "the blues" implied that everyone has such experiences at some time or another, that they are a part of normal living.
And just as with physical illnesses, we usually experience improvement in our state of mind without resorting to prescription drugs or even psychotherapy.
My point is this--our neurons possess receptors sites which bind our own peptides (proteins synthesized by our own bodies) to improve anxiety and depression.
During much of our lives we experience emotional self-healing.
Want proof?
The simple fact that we respond to pharma drugs from xanax to paxil and a boat load of others, indicates that our brain cells possess these sites. Otherwise they would literally have NO effect on us. And these receptors have evolved on the surface of our brain's neurons as well the other cells of our body over millions of years for a good reason.
In a similar manner, the fact that alcohol, nicotine, opiates , cocaine etc effect our brain indicates that our brain cells have receptors to which they bind.
My point is merely this---we evolved with the capacity to experience happiness, even bliss, to heal from anxiety and depression based on our innate neuropeptides.
Our immune cells respond in a similar manner. It is how chronic unremitting anxiety and depression exert toxic effects on our immunity. This fascinating field is known as psychoneuroimmunology.
Of course the challenge is how to mobilize our own peptides to do what needs to be done so that we don't have to reach for a drug (legal or illegal) to accomplish what we need.
There are ways that we already know about---meditation, prayer, yoga, physical exercise, sex, love etc.
We need to train our mind to choose these first.
Our brain will gladly follow the consequences.
Of course this is not as easy as popping a pill. And I am by no means discouraging those who require prescription drugs and professional mental help. On the contrary the risk for many is NOT seeking such help soon enough.
The awareness that our brains are "designed" for self-healing can help us move through the most difficult emotional illnesses and continue our healing after the outside help is completed.
It requires the will to do these activities (no problem with sex) and train our brain cells to expect that self-healing is not only possible but probable.
Such expectations can offer us the boost of optimism so valuable to all forms of healing.
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