Barriers to healthcare? Might you be one?
Healthcare is a huge problem in the United States, causing incredible physical, social, and financial pain.
And patients should NOT be blamed!
However, are we hurting ourselves with ourselves?
Sometimes, yes.
The greatest medical secret?
Humans have an incredible innate healing potential. There aren't side effects or expensive bills when we heal ourselves. In fact, we can reduce our needs for other medications that DO have side effects and expensive bills. But we often have barriers to this incredible healthcare tool. Why?
Barriers to healing ourselves
Our healing potential can help mental health (anxiety, depression, PTSD, addiction), chronic pain, heart disease, and so much more. But we often have internal barriers to achieving this healing potential.
Why do we have these internal barriers?
There are many reasons why, but some reasons come because we don't believe in ourselves. Let me give some examples from the operating room where I work everyday:
1) I can't control my pain, it's going to get the better of me. This rigid mindset immediately strips us from power to control our pain perception.
2) I'm always an anxious person, I need more anxiety medication before surgery than the average patient. Another rigid mindset that will have a self-fulfilling prophecy. I see it everyday before surgery!
3) My blood pressure is always high around doctors. Another self-fulfilling prophecy because of the strong connection between the brain and blood vessels.
These examples aren't anyone's fault - it's important to not blame anyone! However, changing the mindset can help unlock your potential to address these health problems without medications!
How do we remove the barriers to healing ourselves?
Our self inhibitions are just one reason for limiting our innate healing potential. It's my favorite to discuss because we can have direct control over it, unlike socioeconomic status, income, etc.
Because we can have direct control over it, we can rapidly change it, often without medications or expensive bills.
Some powerful techniques include:
- Breathwork
- Laughter
- Physical activity
- Loving relationships
- Sleep hygiene
- Social interactions
- Nutrition
Each of these can decrease inflammatory burden in the body and lower the risk of heart and brain disease. These are often free and have fewer side effects than medications!
If it's so easy, how come these don't work?
These strategies DO work, but it takes consistency. It also takes "buy in" from patients to believe that they actually can change their health. It's not too different from the placebo effect!
What does this have to do with anesthesia?
Anesthesia rapidly disinhibits the brain and causes many of our inhibitions to go away. In those moments, I work with patients to help them gain incredible power over their health in the precious minutes before surgery starts.
Taking control of your health in this period can reduce pain, anxiety, depression, and make surgery safer! And I often need to use fewer medications as a result.
Want to learn more? Check out my videos on taking control of your body before surgery!
Visit Dr. Kaveh in San Francisco to experience how psychedelic medicine can help you overcome depression, anxiety, addiction, and chronic pain.
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