What are autoimmune disorders?
Autoimmune disorders are “a group of conditions in which structural or functional damage to cells/tissues/organs/organ systems is produced by the correlation of immunologically competent cells or antibodies against the normal component of the body” (Penberthy et al., 2018). Treatment includes education and pharmacologic management of physical symptoms.
Can mind / body professionals help clients with autoimmune diseases? What does the research show?
Authors from the University of Virginia School of Medicine reviewed 21 studies and found that “non-pharmacological treatment can positively impact psychological functioning as well as biological markers and may thus be used to complement standard medical treatment” (Penberthy et al., 2018).
How does mindfulness help people with autoimmune diseases?
Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are “aimed generally at the reduction of psychological symptoms of distress and enhancement of quality of life are used to cultivate the mental quality of mindfulness, an open minded, flexible, and nonjudgmental awareness of whatever is happening at each successive moment of perception. The objects of both direct and pre-reflexive perception range from somatic interoceptive, kinesthetic, and proprioceptive experiences (bodily sensations, movements, awareness of breath, etc.) to internal psychological states (feelings, thoughts, images, etc.) as well as external stimuli experienced through the senses” (Penberthy et al., 2018).
In their review of the current literature on treatment with MBSR, adapted versions of MBSR/MBCT, and MAPs as contemplative interventions for patients suffering from autoimmune disease processes or symptoms similar to such, the authors found a correlation in the majority of studies with:
respective biomarker changes and
improvements in psychological functioning
Why will mindfulness be helpful for our clients?
The authors state that there appears to be general consensus regarding the psychological benefits of mindfulness-based interventions correlated with:
improvements in the occurrence of negative emotions including anxiety, stress, and
increased experiences of positive emotions including optimism, feelings of support, and better coping in a variety of treatment lengths and variations (Penberthy et al., 2018)
Is there a link between autoimmune disease and childhood trauma?
What do we mean when we say Adverse Childhood Experiences? According to Ortiz et al., “ACEs include child abuse (emotional, physical, or sexual), neglect (physical or emotional), and household challenges (household incarceration, mental illness, substance use, intimate partner violence, or parental separation or divorce) experienced by 18 years of age” (2022).
Dube et al. looked at the level of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) in adults with autoimmune diseases (AD) including:
Addison's disease,
autoimmune hemolytic anemia,
autoimmune thrombocytopenia purpura,
celiac disease,
dermatomyositis,
Graves' disease,
Hashimoto's thyroiditis,
idiopathic myocarditis,
idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis,
insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus,
irritable bowel disease,
multiple sclerosis,
myasthenia gravis,
pernicious anemia,
psoriasis,
rheumatoid arthritis,
scleroderma,
Sjogren disease,
systemic lupus erythematosus,
vitiligo, and
Wegener's granulomatosis.
The researchers found that “the likelihood of a first hospitalization for any AD was higher among adults with 2 or ≥3 ACEs compared with those with no ACE … for every increase in the ACE Score, the likelihood of a first hospitalization with any AD increased 20% for women and 10% for men.” They concluded that “childhood traumatic stress increased the likelihood of hospitalization with a diagnosed autoimmune disease decades into adulthood” (Dube et al., 2009).
The good news is that mindfulness is indicated to help reduce the effects of adverse childhood experiences as well as autoimmune diseases.
There are several research-based strategies for helping clients with Adverse Childhood Experiences reduce stress levels, including:
Fostering healthy relationships
Improving sleep quality
Ensuring balanced nutrition
Encouraging regular physical activity
Sharing mindfulness practices
Increasing time spent in nature
Providing professional referrals to mental health care, if needed.
The book Mindful Strategies for Adult Clients with Adverse Childhood Experiences provides the information and research to empower mind-body professionals to support their clients with adverse childhood experiences in reaching their health goals.
If you are a health coach or other mind/body professional, I encourage you to take the free online class Mindful Interventions for Health Coaches.
Upon completion of this course, health coaches will have knowledge of short mindfulness practices that may assist clients in motivational interviewing and behavior change.https://plasticsurgeryrecoverymassage.teachable.com/p/mindful-interventions-for-health-coaches
Find the studies here:
Dube SR, Fairweather D, Pearson WS, Felitti VJ, Anda RF, Croft JB. Cumulative childhood stress and autoimmune diseases in adults. Psychosom Med. 2009 Feb;71(2):243-50. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181907888. Epub 2009 Feb 2. PMID: 19188532; PMCID: PMC3318917. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3318917/
Ortiz R, Gilgoff R, Burke Harris N. Adverse Childhood Experiences, Toxic Stress, and Trauma-Informed Neurology. JAMA Neurol. 2022;79(6):539–540. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2022.0769
Penberthy JK, Chhabra D, Avitabile N, Penberthy JM, Le N, Xu YR, Mainor S, Schiavone N, Katzenstein P, Lewis JE, Hubbard L. Mindfulness Based Therapies for Autoimmune Diseases and Related Symptoms. OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine 2018;3(4):039; doi:10.21926/obm.icm.1804039.Retrieved from: https://www.lidsen.com/journals/icm/icm-03-04-039
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