Mind And Body: Are They As Distinct As Initially Believed?
The mind and the body, French philosopher Rene Descartes once said, are two fundamentally separate concepts. Descartes believed that the mind and the body were separate from one another, with no correlation or connection between the two. For many centuries, people accepted the theory that a person’s state of mind is distinct and separate from the condition of the body.
The above idea has become one of the core doctrines of Western medical science, prompting doctors to focus more on physical symptoms and refer patients to separate experts for psychological issues. This stands in contrast with other medical systems, which put as much focus on a patient’s feelings and state of mind as they do on physical signs and symptoms. However, recent studies have shown that there may be more of a connection between physical and mental health than initially thought. A person’s mental health does have an impact on their physical well-being, contrary to what Descartes believed.
The main proof of the connection between mental health and physical factors comes in the form of psychopharmacology....