There
appears to be some evidence of benefits of imagery in treating cancer, and/or
the symptoms of cancer and it's associated treatment. Many individuals
report finding it empowering and helpful to use imagery to help them fight
cancer themselves. See links below for more information about the
suggested effectiveness and recommendations of imagery for cancer.
Start
with relaxation. Then bring up an image of the cancer being destroyed
by the
treatment and the body's immune system. The cancer should be seen
as weak
and
ineffective, whilst the treatment is seen as strong, powerful and
friendly. Individuals find their own idea for this - perhaps firemen with
hoses, 'pacman' type creatures, or
knights on white horses. This should be done 10-15 minutes a day, 3 times
daily.
Simonton et al (1978) stress the importance of the following:
the
cancer cells are seen as weak and confused
the
treatment is strong and powerful
the
healthy cells are able to repair slight damage caused by the treatment
the
body's natural defences - the white blood cells - are vast in number and
overwhelm the cancer cells
the
white blood cells are aggressive and energetic, quickly targeting and destroying
the cancer cells
dead
cancer cells are flushed out from the body in the normal way
the
individual should then imagine him/her self healthy and free of cancer, reaching
their life goals
This
technique can also be used to either increase and strengthen or decrease
the numbers of blood cells, for instance
increasing neutrophils in treating chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.
Start
with relaxation
Take
a few breaths, then imagine yourself travelling down through your body into your
bone marrow.
Look
and listen around you and notice what is happening - how the blood cells are
created, what speed they're being created at, how many there are going into
blood stream
As
you look around, notice a control system, and see how it works - how to speed up
or slow down the process, how to increase or decrease the number of particular
blood cells
Imagine yourself altering this control system in order to decrease or increase
the numbers of cells, or speed at which they're being created
Notice the effect this has
If
the aim is to increase in number of blood cells or speed of production....
Notice the powerful and enthusiastic youthful energy of these new cells as they
are released into the bloodstream
See
those cells purposefully setting off to do what to do what they do, increasing
in numbers and strength
See
any unhealthy cells as weak and confused
See
them gathering as great armies of cells at sites where they're needed,
fulfilling their purpose, being added to as reinforcements continually arrive
See
yourself strong and healthy, achieving your goals
Colour
If using colour in imagery, do not
use red to denote the cancer cells as this suggests strength and energy.
Most people choose to see the cancer as black or grey. Green or turquoise are good colours for healing, blue for relaxation, but you can use any colour
(other than red) that you associate with healing. See
this
webpage for use of colour
