12.4 Relevance of Behavioural Science for Medicine.
As our professional role metamorphosed from organic specialists to behaviour oriented physicians, we were supported by colleagues in internal medicine who had found that conversion symptoms and psychosomatic dysfunctions accounted for hitherto inadequately explained forms of disease. Researchers of other specialties venturing into this area were still few in number. Clinicians who were skilled in counselling patients as to the modification of their attitudes and behaviours were altogether rare. For this reason, our research effort moved to factors of personal growth, as well as considering emotional hazards in the family and the life of the individual patient. Our results have shown that medicine will gain in value and standing if it will join forces with the sciences of behaviour. The unified approach has diminished the number of inappropriate treatments and has led to more appropriate diagnostics. Not only is behavioural medicine a desirable supplement to medical training, it will also give patients a chance to develop higher levels of maturity, autonomy, and resiliency. This will enable them to better cope with future health hazards.
Training programs to achieve a positive attitude towards one's personal health problems are now available for several categories of patients, and these programs should receive full support in the curriculum of medical schools. Actively promoting health instead of merely treating disease is the proper response of the medical community to the challenges posed by so-called alternative therapies offered by narrowly trained healers. In order to assure a programme of behavioural medicine taking the place it deserves, it must be founded on firm biological principles. Throughout this book suggestions will be found on which such a curriculum might be constructed.
12.5 Prevention: improving resiliency in immune and neural systems.