A patient knew there is hope—a real possibility of a good outcome. That patient wanted to feel hope but didn’t. What could he do?
To answer, let’s look briefly at the physiology of emotions. We experience our outer and inner worlds through our brain. Depending on which pattern of brain cells fires, we experience temperature (e.g., cold), textures (e.g., velvet), physical pain (e.g., a broken bone), and emotions, including happiness, fear, anger, and anxiety.
Neurosurgeons and brain researchers have mapped out much of the brain, knowing the precise location in the brain where stimulation causes, say, movement of the patient’s little finger on the right hand. Other areas cause the patient to feel fear or sadness.
Much about brain function remains a mystery. As far as I know (and expect), no single area of the brain triggers “hope.” That makes sense because hope is a complex emotion.
Hope: a feeling linked to a belief that the desired outcome can happen.
Even so, a certain pattern (or patterns) of brain cells must fire to experience hope. This leads us to a potential physical problem of hope, namely anything interfering with the proper firing of brain cells.
In the pursuit of Healthy Survivorship, patients need to report difficulty feeling hope to their healthcare team because it may be a physical problem—and not the result of a negative outlook, weak will to live, or lack of faith.
In my next post, I’ll discuss overcome physical obstacles to hope.
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