psychoneuroimmunology, or PNI for short. It is broadly defined as the study of the effect that mental and emotional activity have on physical well-being. It has taught us that patients can play a much larger role in their recovery—a role that may actually affect the outcome of the illness, may prolong life and will probably improve the quality of life. Further along in this section you will find studies that support that concept.
This section is about that choice. First, it suggests activities you can do and attitudes you can develop that will help you become a Patient Active. These activities and attitudes have been learned by working with thousands of cancer patients at The Wellness Community.
Second, it explains why someone with cancer who takes specific, conscious, purposeful actions to fight for recovery will improve the quality of his or her life and may enhance the possibility of recovery.
There are three important points to consider when thinking about the possibility of recovery:
• The stronger the immune system , the more likely the recovery.
• The immune system may be enhanced by pleasant emotions.
• The immune system may be weakened by long-term, unremitting, unpleasant emotions.
If you understand these statements, everything that follows will be much more meaningful.
The assumptions on which this section is based should be emphasized.
First, treatment by a competent medical team is the primary method of fighting to recover from cancer. The psychosocial methods described here are supportive of, and adjunctive to, medical treatment. They are not alternatives.
