When I was first diagnosed with myeloma in February of 1994, I was content to do exactly what my oncologist told me to do. After all, he was a well-educated, thoroughly experienced oncologist. After two recurrences, my oncologist explained to me as best as she could there was nothing more that could be done for me medically-as far as she new.

At that point, I took my health into my own hands and began the therapy that put me into complete remission where I still am today. A fundamental principle of beating-myeloma.org is personal responsibility for and management of your care.

I believe that an important aspect of my therapy was taking responsibility for my own care. In other words, I think that I healed, in part, because of my mental change.

I’m not saying that your oncologist shouldn’t be an important source of information - your family, your friends, they can all have input if you choose. But in the final analysis, you decide what therapy to pursue, you complete multiple myeloma research and make the final decision for every healthcare choice.

Hans Yeager is the contributing editor for the mind-body section.

Introduction

Mind-body therapy (original) focuses on the interactions among the brain, mind, body, and behavior, and the powerful ways in which emotional, mental, social, spiritual, and behavioral factors can directly affect health. Mind-body therapy regards as fundamental an approach that respects and enhances each person's capacity for self-knowledge and self-care, and it emphasizes techniques that are grounded in this approach.

The Participation of the Mind in the Healing of Cancer by Hans Yeager

The Mind-Body Interaction in Disease (original) by Esther M. Sternberg and Philip W. Gold

The Mind-Body Connection by Catherine Scanlon, Ph.D.