The human mind is a curious thing and it might be much more powerful than anyone fully realizes.
We've all heard urban legends of people displaying stunning examples of mind over matter, but
what does mainstream psychology have to say about this?
Are any of these bizarre, seemingly magical occurrences proven by science?
There are countless situations where psychological changes in the brain have caused baffling
effects in the physical real world.
When, psychologists have studied and observed this phenomena, they're often at a complete
loss for words.
One thing's for sure, there's an incredible connection between the mind and the body.
Helen Ross was just one patient who suffered from a rare condition called cardiomyopathy,
otherwise known as broken heart syndrome.
Simply put, she almost lost her life due to a broken heart caused by a failed romance.
In this case, her broken heart wasn't just a metaphor, her stress created a real physical
effect.
In fact, her heart completely stopped beating and she even needed a pacemaker for years
after this literally heartbreaking moment.
The placebo effect is one of the most famous examples of mind over matter.
Sometimes we're given a medication or a treatment that we believe to be effective in some way,
but in reality, it's just a sugar pill or an injection filled with salt water.
Even though the seemingly useless medicine shouldn't benefit our bodies in any way, our
minds seem to make it real.
One famous study involves a doctor who started administering a placebo injection instead
of morphine because he was afraid his patient would develop a dependency.
Stunningly, the patient experienced no difference in pain relief.
So why does this happen?
Researchers believe that in this specific case, the brain releases pain relieving endorphins
because of an expected reaction after a placebo injection.
This might also explain other examples of the placebo effect throughout mainstream science,
like the fact that big red pills are almost always more effective than other sizes and
colors.
Men won't ever experience what it's like to get pregnant, but sometimes their mind seem
to create some of the symptoms.
Also known as couvade syndrome, this strange phenomenon causes men to experience cramps,
morning sickness and even swollen stomachs.
Studies have revealed that there are no possible physical causes for these symptoms, the only
explanation is that it's caused by the brain, and it's possibly related to anxiety over
their partners pregnancy.
After the amputation of limbs, many patients experience pain in parts of their bodies which
do not physically exist anymore, known as phantom limb pain.
It's one of the hardest things to deal with as an amputee, it's also one of the most stunning
examples of a physical symptom caused by the brain alone.
Researchers aren't exactly sure what causes phantom limb pain, but they think it might
have something to do with nerve signals being sent by the brain.
When these nerves can't connect with their matching limbs, they seem to automatically
create a pain response in the brain.
History is littered with examples of people exhibiting superhuman strength, seemingly
doing things that should not be possible.
One example was when 22 year old Lauren karnaki lifted a BMW in order to save her father or
Tom Boyle who lifted a 3,000 pound Camaro in order to save a trap cyclist.
There are tons of other real documented examples of this so-called superhuman strength.
So how is it even possible?
Researchers state that things like adrenaline and endorphins are important, and that these
factors prevent our muscles from ripping and being completely destroyed.
But the truth is that most of the time, we're not using a hundred percent of our power until
fear and shock unleashes our potential.
By now, most of us have heard stories about the power of meditation.
Skilled Buddhist monks have displayed incredible control over their bodies, even controlling
their blood pressure and heart beats.
But one of the most impressive effects of meditation is the ability to survive extreme
temperatures.
Wim Hof, otherwise known as the Iceman, is famous for his ability to withstand insane
temperatures; bathing in freezing waters for hours and climbing Mount Everest in just a
pair of shorts.
Until recently, researchers believed that it was impossible to control the autonomic
nervous system at will, but Wim Hof and others seem to have unlocked the ability to control
their adrenaline and hormones through the practice of meditation.
Multiple personality disorder is when an individual has two or more personas within their psyche,
and these different personas behave and think very differently.
One of the most stunning things about multiple personality to order is the fact that different
personality is within a patient might have different physical conditions.
For example, one personality might need glasses while the other has normal vision.
In some cases one personality might even have a lazy eye.
These differences have been measured and proven with multiple studies.
The nocebo effect is basically the opposite of the placebo effect; instead of believing
that a substance is beneficial, patients believe that it's negative or even poisonous and they
experience the expected effects as a result.
One example would be if a person touches what they think is poison ivy and they develop
a nasty rash, only later did they find out that it was just a normal plant.
Researchers are still trying to figure out the nocebo effect, but they believe that once
again, it's probably caused by the brain creating expected results.
The effect of our minds on the physical world is a very interesting and bizarre subject,
but above all else, it should reveal the powers of positive thinking.
Maybe the fairy tale lesson was true after all; if you believe in your dreams they might
just come true.
Have you experienced any of these effects?
Let us know in the comments below.