The cure within - Anne Harrington

People suffering from serious illnesses improve
their survival chances by adopting a positive
attitude and refusing to believe in the worst.
Stress is the great killer of modern life.
Ancient Eastern mind-body techniques can bring
us balance and healing. We've all heard claims
like these, and many find them plausible. When
it comes to disease and healing, we believe we
must look beyond doctors and drugs; we must look within ourselves. Faith, relationships, and
attitude matter.But why do we believe such
things? From psychoanalysis to the placebo
effect to meditation, this vibrant history
describes our commitments to mind-body healing
as rooted in a patchwork of stories that have
allowed people to make new sense of their
suffering, express discontent with existing
care, and rationalize new treatments and
lifestyles. These stories are sometimes
supported by science, sometimes quarrel with
science, but are all ultimately about much more
than just science.