How Healing Psyche False Hope Is Non Existent

This is a chapter from “Healing Psyche - Models and Structures of Complementary Psychological Cancer Treatment (CPCT)”

''In the quest for health, clients are willing to try anything, hopefully. There is a miracle cure. They often tell themselves that they might as well try because "they have nothing to lose". Unfortunately, there is something to lose. Customers may have a false sense of hope. They may lose interest in conventional medicine or other complementary methods. Finally, they may also be robbed of valuable time by continuing unsatisfactory treatment.

Psychotherapy is often questioned about issues such as false hope. Some people fear that if a client with cancer has hope, they will be wrong and ultimately disappointed. They think that as long as they expect the worst, they won't be disappointed. It was a form of false despair. These people like to call themselves realists, but are actually pessimists.

People misinterpret the true value of an optimistic, pessimistic or realistic view of life. Pessimistic people view the world as a dark place, where there is only misery and everything is hopeless. They deny the positive side of things. Optimistic people view the world as one happy playground, where there is joy everywhere. They deny the negative side of life. Realists know that everything in life has a positive and a negative side. They completely accept both sides.



"No one really knows enough to be pessimistic."

- Norman Cousins ​​

- Pessimist: My glass is almost empty.

- Optimist: My glass is still full.

- Realist: I have half a glass.

When therapists work with the psychological problems described in this book, they do not give false hopes, but help clients live more realistically. Realistic hope is what is communicated in this therapeutic approach.

Medical associations and teams usually issue some sort of death guarantee (albeit less every day) with a cancer diagnosis. Fortunately, this is not the case. There is no guarantee that a person will die from cancer. On the other hand, there is also no guarantee that one will heal from cancer after the intervention. The issue of false hope only exists when the practitioner (medical or psychological) issues a guarantee that the client is healed after the intervention. False hope is thus only present as a false guarantee.

The presence of hope within clients is often associated with better health, and hopelessness is often a precursor for poor outcomes. Presenting hope, however, is no guarantee, but it assists the healing process.

Example:

When people get married, there is no guarantee that they will be happy. They hope they can. The pessimist might interpret this as vain hope.

However, expecting a marriage to end in a few years is almost a surefire guarantee that it will.

Hoping for happiness is no guarantee, but it certainly helps.

Feelings of hope stimulate the placebo effect. The possible effects of a placebo are undeniable, even in the context of cancer.



“Everybody knows you die of cancer, but I'm not sure if I would apply it to myself. I have considered this (belief) nonsense.

Quote from a patient in spontaneous remission

- Daan van Baalen - (1987 [1])

False hope is real and can be seen as results-focused attainable, while denying the actual truth. Such unrealistic expectations lead to disappointment and guilt. The hope of recovery is a realistic hope. A realistic or mature hope is to accept your current feelings, thoughts, relationships, and opportunities for improvement. Focusing solely on despair and self-pity is just as unrealistic as seeing only a bright and positive future.

False Hope

- I focus only on the positive.

- I can do whatever I want.

- I can control everything.

False despair

- I am in despair.

- I can't control anything.

- Everything scares me and illness and emotions control me.

Realistic Hope

- Sometimes I feel bad, and other times I feel more connected to life and to other people than ever.

- There are things beyond my control. However, there are many things I can control.

- I choose to live as fully as possible now. My quality of life may be tied to my physical health, but no matter how long I live, I plan to do so to the best of my ability.

Hope triggers action and stimulates happiness. Without hope, people do not act for their own health. Hope is a supportive emotion as well as a motivator to trigger positive actions to enhance self-mastery.

Solano et al. (1993 [2]) investigated the link between psychosocial situations and the likelihood of developing symptoms. They concluded that "the best attitude towards prognosis seems to be a full 

of one's situation and a willingness to do something about it." This conclusion is supported by many other authors. Hopelessness triggers inaction and letting things happen. Hope triggers the decisive will to take action.



“Trust in god and tie your camel to a tree.”