People claim that the main causes of cancer are as follows:
- Heredity
- Weakened immune system
- External factors (radiation, industrial emissions, cellular phones)
- Improper diet
- Obesity and sedentary lifestyle
- Smoking, drug and alcohol use
- Viruses
- Depression
But is it really so? Let us sort myth from fiction.
First, HEREDITY. Scientists have established that heredity amounts to nothing more than a predisposition to develop bodily features passed down by one’s ancestors. It is well known that these features do not always manifest themselves. It turns out such manifestations also require external conditions, which are the most important factor affecting genetic predisposition. Most people never get cancer, even though they have ancestors who passed away because of it. Thus, heredity being a direct cause of cancer is a myth.
WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEM. It is a known fact that most people today have a weakened immune system and for that reason they are susceptible to a wide range of diseases, not necessarily cancer. Only a small fraction of the population (about 0.26%) actually get cancer. A weakened immune system is very rarely a direct cause of cancer.
EXTERNAL FACTORS. Again, note that only 0.26% of all people get cancer. If exposure to harmful external factors were the cause, then the majority of people would be cancer patients. And they are not. Meaning, this one is also a myth.
IMPROPER DIET. Here, I want to draw your attention to the fact that the vast majority of people do not have healthy diets, with a few exceptions. But that doesn’t mean that they all are sure to get cancer. Improper nutrition may be a cause of a host of other diseases, but not cancer. This is to say that improper diet being a cause of cancer is a myth.
OBESITY AND SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE. This one, in some respects, overlaps with improper diet, but it is not completely covered by it. Many people suffer from this problem, but as of today no direct relationship has been established between obesity and cancer. So, obesity and sedentary lifestyle do not cause cancer – it is a myth.
SMOKING, DRUG USE, ALCOHOL USE. No scientific evidence supports cancer being directly related to the use of tobacco, drugs, or alcohol. This one is another myth.
VIRUSES. It has been scientifically verified that cancer is not contagious, so viruses cannot cause cancer. This is another myth.
And finally, DEPRESSION. For this one, it is impossible to give a definitive answer, because in a state of depression one’s mental processes are disrupted, which dramatically compromises the immune system. Naturally, depression is not sure to lead to cancer, but oncologists do observe a depressive state in the majority of their patients.
And so, what are the real causes of cancer?
It’s very simple: because people tend to distrust their own mental state or view it as unimportant. But the mental state is directly dependent on one’s mindset.
An unhealthy mindset is the main cause of cancer. It is the source of beliefs, inner values, and habits with which one goes through life. Morbid reactions to occurrences of the inner world and the surrounding world compromise the immune response to stresses. The result is a disruption of the genetic programming, which has serious consequences.
The solution here is a systemic adjustment of the psyche, which radically changes one’s attitude towards oneself and the surrounding world. Generally, the systemic psychological adjustment, coupled with cancer treatment, leads to a complete elimination of the disease.
Stay healthy! Take care of yourself and your loved ones!
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D), Practicing psychologist, systemic oncopsychologist. READ MORE
