How Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Affect Cancer and Other Chronic Illnesses

Our society is becoming more and more stressful. Even within the family unit, many are experiencing stress like never before. Western society is under intense pressure from various sources; the political climate, economic uncertainties, questionable ethics from those in authority and even from religious entities. We face a crisis of values which neither the educational institutions and in many cases, the family unit have not prepared us to deal with emotionally.

This situation has a significant impact on our health. Human emotions are very powerful. When we are not able to manage and balance our emotions, we are left with inner scars that deeply affect our body and mind. We may sense that something is not right within us but we may ignore the signs hoping that things will get better with time. But this is not the case. We are using the ancient “ostrich technique”, that of denying the evidence of what is happening to our inner person. Depression, stress and anxiety surface when we do nothing and fail to acknowledge the problem. These elements are not simple emotions but rather mental states that accumulate over the years, behind them there are many deep feelings and conflicts which are yet to be resolved.

Depression

This is a consequence of feelings of resentment from the past that remains unfinished and pending.

Stress

The natural reaction to a difficult or challenging situation that we are currently facing.

Anxiety

The apprehension that comes from fear or the possibility of something negative happening in the future that follows mental patterns that we have acquired in the past.

These three powerful mental states can dominate our lives and can seriously affect our health and wellbeing, leading us down a path that can cause us to make mistakes that exacerbate the situation. We must settle these issues by recognizing and accepting them with the help of proper psycho-emotional techniques. These techniques help us to develop our emotional intelligence and, in reality, should have been something we learned from young. Our educational systems have focused on advancing intellectual capabilities with the objective of being more competitive and comparing ourselves to each other. Now is the time to change this by learning to handle our emotions so that they no longer harm us; an education that helps us to develop inner strengths.

Consider the dangerous effects of the three negative emotional elements:

They can block or inhibit the immune system leaving us more exposed to infections and even cancer.
The risk of diabetes can be increased when negative emotions are left unchecked, especially if we have a genetic predisposition. The pancreas is one of the organs most sensitive to mental states.
We are at greater risk of mental illness because negative emotions affect the production of essential and non-essential brain amino acids. For example, they provoke dopamine deficiency which affects our serotonin levels and can enhance obsessive behavior, which increases depression.
Plaques and thrombi are formed more easily in the arteries which put us at a greater risk of developing a cardiovascular disease. The density of the blood increases with the accumulation of red blood cells that should be released into the bloodstream.
Increases heartburn that leads to ulcers.
Due to stress and anxiety, cortisol levels, adrenaline and noradrenaline levels can increase dangerously generating a state of constant alarm within our nervous system. This can lead to nondegenerative diseases and even cancer.

These and many other factors can trigger mismanaged emotions for years.

In Western countries as well as many in Eastern countries with a similar socioeconomic model, emotional stress and anxiety, along with depression are the most significant factors triggering the 7 most prominent causes of death: suicide, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and Coronary arteries, accidents, respiratory disorders, cirrhosis.

According to statistics from social research centers around the world, tens of millions of people die annually from diseases associated with these mental states, the so-called “psychosomatic diseases,”

At Budwig Center, we know how important it is to treat these emotional disorders and we have a program that teaches patients to follow a more balanced lifestyle and to develop mental patterns to help further their recovery. Do not hesitate to contact us to find out more.

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4 thoughts on “How Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Affect Cancer and Other Chronic Illnesses”

    1. Dear Vicki,

      Our philosophy is to treat the mind, body and soul addressing the cause of illness. Dr. Johanna Budwig’s research found that the causes for all illness, including cancer, is a combination of some or all of these factors: toxins not eliminated properly, microorganisms (virus, bacteria, fungus and parasites), lack of nutrients and oxygen in our cells and a weakened immune system due to emotional factors. Some people think all Dr. Budwig did was find a diet for cancer patients. Her work included much more.

      This is why we can treat all types of cancer. We have certainly had a fair share of breast cancer patients at the clinic and other types of cancer patients.
      If you have read somewhere a testimony about someone that “cured” themselves of a type of cancer with a certain diet, product or treatment, that would be an incorrect statement, it would be their perception of what was the most potent factor in their remission. There is a combination of factors contributing to cancer and therefore one will need various pillars to treat cancer. We need to address the cancer already present and manifested in the body and we also need to address the reason the body is producing cancer cells.

      Along with remedies, diet instruction and treatment we also offer a lot of information so that patients can get help locally after returning home and be able to recognize what their bodies need, what support to lean on once they return to their home country. We want to guide and help as much as possible but the holistic natural approach takes time, effort, consistency and discipline. It is a different approach, placing part of the responsibility on the patient’s shoulders.

      When it comes to people’s expectations to heal, we explain that if you can eat, can sleep, don’t have too much pain and have daily bowel movements, you are strong enough to receive treatment. However, we still cannot offer guarantees as the body’s response is an individual thing.. Most stories of patients that are cancer free or in remission after coming to the clinic come about 1 year later or even more sometimes. I hope this explanation has been insightful and let me know if I can help you personally.

      Kind regards,

      Kathy L.J.
      [email protected]

  1. Phyllis Devonish

    There are different types of Depression… Depression over loss. There is Clinical Depression which does not go away…no matter all the “think happy thoughts” in the World. You…as Medical people should appreciate this more than any one. How does your Protocol help…if it helps Clinical Depression??

    1. Kathy Jenkins

      Dear Phyllis,

      Thank you for sending us this question. Even mental illnesses have their causes which are also rooted in certain toxins, the health of one’s gut, our nervous system and our health in general. A protocol that helps oxygenate our cells and helps a person gain physical health will certainly make a difference in cases of mental illness. When a chronic illness has caused severe deterioration, sometimes even managing to keep it stable and therefore not progress further is a an achievement.

      Kind regards,

      Kathy L.J.
      [email protected]

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