Running head: IMAGERY

Title V: Imagery Dana Drenner, Kaylee Bond, Bradley Meyers, Jon Chao, Rebbeca Nelson Alternative Health Care HCA 303A Prof. Diane Terwilliger Warner Pacific College August 23rd, 2013

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While western medicine has only recently begun to research the use and practice of imagery, the use dates back centuries. Imagery is used in conjunction with other alternative treatments such as aromatherapy, meditation and hypnosis. The use of imagery is an important tool for relaxation. Imagery is not a safe and effective alternative to conventional medical treatments but best used with conventional treatments to assist with lowering stress, health care costs and increasing a relaxed state and health care outcomes. For instance, forgoing cancer treatments and relying only on imagery can have dire health consequences. We use imagery daily in our lives, as Freeman states, Virtually nothing exists in our experience that we do not imagine in some way, and these images can produce physiologic, biochemical, and immunological changes in the body that affects health outcomes (2009). Freeman later goes on to state that, in its purest form, imagery is our lived experience-an experience that can be vividly recalled and modified (2009). Because imagery can be our lived experience it can also be a negative influence on health outcomes as well and should not be practiced without assistance from a professional to help guide the patient in the best possible direction. The terms imagery and visualization have been used to describe the same techniques. However, visualization is more about seeing the outcome, where imagery takes it much further. An example of visualization would be seeing you score a touchdown, getting the football, crossing the goal line and celebrating. Imagery goes beyond seeing mere seeing the goal. With the use of imagery you feel your muscles twitch as you prepare for the snap. You feel the sweat running down the back of your neck. You hear the rhythm of your breathing and those around you. You feel the quickening of your heartbeat as the moment draws near. You feel your muscles explode as the ball snaps as you feel the texture and temperature of the ball. You smell

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the turf and sweat of everyone around you. You feel the tension in your muscles as you cut to avoid a tackle and feel the excitement as you near the goal line. Imagerys roots go back to . . . Tibetan monks in the 13th and 14th centuries began meditating and imaging that Buddha would cure diseases (American Cancer Society). Imagery gained popularity when the Simontons published the best-selling 1978 book titled Getting Well Again. The book described their experiences in treating cancer patients with imagery and other treatments (American Cancer Society). Many culture both past and present practice imagery. In western medicine, the technique of imagery practice as intervention is based on Ahsens theory (Ahsen, 1968) that personality and consciousness are made up of images. Therefore to correct or change certain behaviors or personality characteristics the clinician must identify and change the distorted images that are paired to these characteristics (Freeman, 2009, p. 253). Neuropeptides are the biochemical messengers in the body referred by researchers as the conductors of the immune orchestra, and the molecules of emotion (Freeman, 2009, p. 254). Neuropeptides are directly affected by emotion. And immune cells carry receptors for all the neuropeptides (p. 254). If the patients emotional state can be changed then the neuropeptides will reach out and communicate to the immune cells and effect how well or poor the body feels. The use of imagery assists with those effects. The two most common imagery techniques used are palming and guided imagery. According to John Hopkins medical center, Palming involves the visualization of color. The patient places his or her palms over the eyes and envisions the color associated with stress (usually the color red). Then, the patient changes the color hoe or she sees to a more relaxing color such as blue (Hopkins medicine, ND). Guided imagery is a technique used for treating things such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to an article by mind disorders, guided imagery therapy is a

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cognitive-behavioral technique in which a client is guided in imagining a relaxing scene or series of experiences (2013). Dr. Martin Rossman describes imagery as a flow of thoughts you can see, hear, feel, smell, or tastea way your mind codes, stores, and expresses information (Rossman, 2000, p. 13). Rossman also describes imagery as using the right hemisphere of the brain because it has the ability to grasp the larger context of events (p. 19) which is key to healing and protecting your body. The goal is for the images to have a soothing, relaxing, healing, and positive effect on the patient. The soothing and relaxing effects happen because guided therapy may also be thought of as suggestive therapy. If you are being guided to think about yourself on the beach in the hot sun by the ocean, by invoking senses to feel the heat, smell the ocean, hear the waves, your body may respond by succumbing to a more relaxing state. When a person worries their body will respond to that and go into an alert state that, if for a prolonged period of time, can be harmful to the body. This can deplete the bodys ability to respond appropriately when an actual event happens, rather than the imagined negative event they worry about that never materializes. The body would be better equipped and prepared to respond if it can be directed towards a relaxed state because relaxation is the first step in focusing and concentrating your mind on the process of healing (Rossman, p. 36). Guided imagery can be used as a lifestyle to undo a state of constant worry leading a person to better health. There have been many studies that have illustrated the effectiveness of guided imagery as a complementary health practice, one stating that a review of nearly 50 studies conducted between 1966-1998 found that guided imagery was successful in managing stress, anxiety, depression, pain, and the side effects of chemotherapy (Osborn, 2008, p. 83). More recent studies report success in pre-operative, post-operative and even during surgery for the patient management of scheduled surgeries. This helps the patient because they will typically

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experience a loss of control and feel they become a victim instead of a participant (Tusek, Church, Strong, Grass, and Fazio, 1997, p. 172) which enhances their stress and anxiety about a medical procedure. By using relaxation and guided imagery techniques patients can restore their sense of control, which can improve their surgical outcome (p. 172) and enhance immune function which can produce optimum health outcomes. The first step in guided imagery is relaxation. Dr. Rossman uses a variation of Jacobsons progressive relaxation therapy for his patients to reach the relaxation state. Some patients may be quicker to reach a relaxation state while others might take a little longer. The next step would be to deepen that relaxation state with imagery. Rossmans focus of guided imagery comes down to a patient reaching a state within themselves where they meet an inner advisor because he believes there is guidance available to us when we appeal to it and are receptive to it Rossman, 2000, p. 87). His theory is that the inner guidance can direct a patient to understand their symptoms or ailments and best help them move toward healthy resolutions (p. 88). Although an inner advisor may seem far-fetched, think of it as your gut instinct or ones basic instincts and is a function of the right hemisphere of your brain. An inner guide could be the form of a spiritual person for one person or a spirit of a deceased loved one for another but what is important to note is that the inner advisor is a part of you.

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References American Cancer Society; Imagery, (2013) Retrieved from http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/complementaryandalternative medicine/mindbodyandspirit/imagery Freeman, L. W. (2009). Mosby\'s complementary and alternative medicine. (3 ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby. Guided Imagery Therapy (2013), retrieved from http://www.minddisorders.com/Flu-Inv/Guided-Imagery-Therapy.html Osborn, K. (2008). Guided Imagery and Massage. (cover story). Massage & Bodywork, 23(3), 74-83 Rossman, M. (2000). Guided imagery for self-healing. (2nd ed.). Novato, California: New World Library. Tusek, D. L., Church, J. M., Strong, S. A., Grass, J. A., and Fazio, V. W. (1997) Guided Imagery. A significant advance in the care of patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery. Diseases of the Colon and Rectum. Volume 40, Issue 2, pp. 172-178 Retrieved September 20, 2013 from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02054983