One experiment that demonstrates the power of reprogramming is the famous one by Ivan Pavlov, a Russian researcher. Pavlov showed how the brain can be trained, through repetition, to cause certain reactions in certain circumstances. His results further support the theories behind the Mind Body Syndrome.

Pavlov set up a situation where every interaction a dog had with food would involve the sound of a bell. Eventually just the bell sound would cause the dog to salivate, even without food. The sound became its own pleasurable experience.

One of his lesser-known experiments is one where he associated a dog’s interaction with food with an electric shock.  With repetition, the dog would look foward to the shock.  ”Within a few weeks the dog would actually wag its tail excitedly, salivate, and turn toward the food dish in response to the electricity.  It was “paw dependent” in that if the same shock was applied to its other leg, the dog would react violently.”  (1)

It is well-documented that patients suffering from chronic pain experience a significant decrease in the actual size of their brain.  It is unclear exactly why this occurs but it is a consistent observation.  It makes sense to me that if much of  your brain is stuck in the repetitive thought patterns associated with pain that the parts of your brain that normally experience close friends, excellent wine, great food, new experiences, etc. are going to atrophy.  It has also been shown that the phenomonon is reversible—with active interventtions such as reprogramming. Chronic pain sucks the life right our of you—including brain cells.  Don’t let that process continue!

1. Brand, Paul. “Pain the Gift that Nobody Wants”. Harper Collins, 1993, p 206.