When it comes to the mind and the body, I think a lot of us think about them as two separate things. It’s possible to partially blame it on some long standing historical perspectives. As a result, we believe that one does not influence the other. However, many people have started to talk about how the mind can affect the body, and those ideas seem to be gaining more acceptance and are receiving more attention. But, what about the body affecting the mind? Is that even possible? What does that look like?
In my general quest for knowledge I have heard about interesting research that the body can indeed affect the mind. One example involves using Botox. Botox has been used cosmetically for many years as a way to smooth lines and wrinkles on the face. However, it has been found that people who have had Botox for frown lines have also shown improvements in mood. There is an argument that a person may feel better because they think they look better, but there seems to be more to it. Another example comes from exercise, where it has been shown that it can improve mood as well.
So, Botox and exercise for depression? Of course, these are only a few examples from a larger world of possibilities, but there is growing evidence that the body can and does affect the mind. Using this idea as a framework, my hope is that this will give us even more possible treatment options for depression. So, if possible, why not consider Botox? Why not consider exercise? Overall, I like the idea that the mind and body work together and should not be treated separately. Once we think about everything as being connected, I believe we can find even more ways to treat the whole individual.