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| {{refimprove|date=December 2016}} | | {{Short description|The process by which an organism repairs itself}} |
| {{for|self-healing in computer science|Self-management (computer science)}} | | {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}} |
| '''Self-healing''' refers to the process of recovery (generally from [[Psychology|psychological]] disturbances, [[Psychological trauma|trauma]], etc.), motivated by and directed by the patient, guided often only by [[instinct]]. Such a process encounters mixed fortunes due to its amateur nature, although self-motivation is a major asset. The value of self-healing lies in its ability to be tailored to the unique experience and requirements of the individual. The process can be helped and accelerated with introspection techniques such as [[Meditation]].<ref>https://nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation/overview.htm</ref>
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| == Self Healing as a Way to Overcome Racial Trauma ==
| | '''Self-healing''' refers to the process by which an organism repairs and regenerates itself without external intervention. This phenomenon is observed in various biological systems and is a critical aspect of [[homeostasis]], allowing organisms to maintain internal stability and recover from injuries or diseases. |
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| | ==Biological Mechanisms== |
| | Self-healing in biological systems involves several mechanisms, including [[cell regeneration]], [[tissue repair]], and [[immune response]]. These processes are orchestrated by complex signaling pathways and involve various cell types and molecules. |
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| Historically, communities of Color in the United States and around the World have attempted to use different modes (i.e. scholarship, art, and community gathering) to create self-healing as a way to combat the daily trauma of living in a racialized society.
| | ===Cell Regeneration=== |
| | [[Cell regeneration]] is a fundamental aspect of self-healing, where damaged or lost cells are replaced by new ones. This process is particularly evident in tissues with high turnover rates, such as the [[skin]] and [[intestinal epithelium]]. In these tissues, [[stem cells]] play a crucial role by dividing and differentiating into the necessary cell types to restore tissue integrity. |
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| [[Frantz Fanon]] wrote about the subjectivity and objectivity paradox inherent in [[Race (human categorization)|Blackness]] in his book [[Black Skin, White Masks|<u>Black Skin, White Masks</u>.]] He describes feeling "infinite" but being subjected to the standards reserved for someone who is crippled. At the end of the fifth chapter, he writes that he weeps at the "crossroads between Nothingness and Infinity." His scholarship is meant to provide a lesson to White readers: Black people are also human beings. However, his intention in writing the fifth chapter was no doubt a hope to heal himself in offering up his struggle so that those who mistreated him and his people could reach a place of understanding. In sharing his personal trauma, he offered a way for Black people to connect over shared struggle and commiserate, but also brought his plight to the attentions of a White audience, who, if they could empathize, could lighten the racial load of the Black people around them and could hopefully, someday, ease Fanon's own mental load. | | ===Tissue Repair=== |
| | [[Tissue repair]] involves the restoration of tissue architecture and function following injury. This process can be divided into several phases: inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. During the inflammatory phase, immune cells remove debris and pathogens. The proliferative phase involves the formation of new tissue, while the remodeling phase strengthens and reorganizes the tissue. |
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| [[Langston Hughes]] is an example of how Black people have used art to self-heal from racial trauma. His poem, [https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47880/theme-for-english-b "Theme for English B"] details his struggle with completing a writing assignment about truth for a class. He is only able to complete the assignment when he acknowledges the stratified differences between him, his other classmates, and his professor. As he writes, "I am the only colored student in my class." His poem is a way to package his trauma so that he can use it for something constructive in the hopes that it will ultimately heal some of his pain. | | ===Immune Response=== |
| | The [[immune system]] is integral to self-healing, as it identifies and eliminates pathogens and damaged cells. It also facilitates tissue repair by releasing cytokines and growth factors that promote cell proliferation and differentiation. |
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| [http://www.harrietsapothecary.com/ Harriet's Apothecary] is a NYC-based organization that seeks to create self-healing for communities of color through different healing based events. Their work takes place across the US. They host vendors, and offer [[reiki|reiki healing]], massages, food, and yoga among many other different "stations" as a way to combat racial trauma. They do community building work to address poverty (because [[racism in the United States]] has left communities of color in disproportionate levels of poverty compared to their White counterparts). To gain entrance to most, if not all of their events, their policy is pay-what-you-can.{{Citation needed|reason=Self Healing as a Way to Overcome Racial Trauma section has no ref|date=December 2017}}
| | ==Self-Healing in Different Organisms== |
| | Self-healing capabilities vary among organisms. Some species, such as [[salamanders]] and [[planarians]], exhibit remarkable regenerative abilities, capable of regenerating entire limbs or body parts. In contrast, mammals have more limited regenerative capacities, although certain tissues, like the [[liver]], can regenerate to a significant extent. |
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| == The Different Meanings of Self-Healing == | | ===Humans=== |
| | In humans, self-healing is evident in processes such as wound healing, bone repair, and liver regeneration. The [[skin]] is a prime example, where minor cuts and abrasions heal through a well-coordinated sequence of events involving clot formation, inflammation, tissue formation, and remodeling. |
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| | ===Plants=== |
| | Plants also exhibit self-healing abilities, such as the formation of [[callus]] tissue at wound sites. This tissue can differentiate into various cell types to restore damaged structures. Additionally, plants can seal off damaged areas to prevent pathogen entry and water loss. |
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| Self-healing is the ultimate phase of [[Gestalt Therapy]]. | | ==Applications of Self-Healing== |
| | Understanding self-healing mechanisms has significant implications for [[medicine]] and [[biotechnology]]. Researchers aim to harness these processes to develop regenerative therapies and improve wound healing. For example, [[tissue engineering]] and [[stem cell therapy]] are fields that seek to replicate or enhance natural self-healing processes to treat injuries and degenerative diseases. |
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| Self-healing may refer to automatic, [[Homeostasis|homeostatic]] processes of the body that are controlled by physiological mechanisms inherent in the organism. Disorders of the [[Gifts of healing|spirit]] and the absence of faith can be self-healed.
| | ==Related Pages== |
| | * [[Regeneration (biology)]] |
| | * [[Wound healing]] |
| | * [[Tissue engineering]] |
| | * [[Stem cell]] |
| | * [[Immune system]] |
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| In a figurative sense, self-healing properties can be ascribed to systems or processes, which by nature or design tend to correct any disturbances brought into them. Such as the regeneration of the skin after a cut or scrape, or of an entire limb. The injured party (the living body) repairs the damaged part by itself.
| | [[Category:Biological processes]] |
| | | [[Category:Regenerative medicine]] |
| Beyond the innate restorative capacities of the physical body, there are many factors of psychological nature that can influence self-healing. [[Hippocrates]], considered by many to be the father of medical treatment, observed: "The physician must be ready, not only to do his duty himself, but also to secure the co-operation of the patient, of the attendants and of externals."
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| — Hippocrates.<ref>{{cite book|last=Hippocrates|title=Aphorisms|url=http://classics.mit.edu/Hippocrates/aphorisms.1.i.html}}</ref>
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| Self-healing may also be achieved through deliberately applied psychological mechanisms. These approaches may improve the psychological and physical conditions of a person. Research confirms that this can be achieved through numerous mechanisms, including relaxation, breathing exercises, fitness exercises, imagery, [[Meditation]],<ref>{{cite book|last1=Murphy|first1=Michael|last2=Donovan|first2=Steven|last3=Taylor|first3=Eugene|title=The Physical and Psychological Effects of Meditation: A Review of Contemporary Research With a Comprehensive Bibliography|date=1997|publisher=Inst of Noetic Sciences|isbn=9780943951362}}</ref><ref>Searchable meditation bibliography: http://biblio.noetic.org/</ref> [[Yoga]],<ref>http://www.healthandyoga.com/html/research_papers/yt.asp</ref> [[qigong]], [[t'ai chi]], [[biofeedback]],<ref>http://www.cliving.org/biblobiof.htm</ref> and various forms of [[psychotherapy]], among other approaches.
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| Varieties of mechanisms for self-healing have been proposed, including:
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| # Decreases in stress hormones that may impair physiological functions when there is [[Psychological stress|chronic stress]].<ref name="General Adaptive Syndrome">{{cite book|last1=Mitterer|first1=Jon|last2=Coon|first2=Dennis|title=Introduction to Psychology|date=2013|publisher=Jon-David Hague|pages=446–447}}</ref>
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| # Decreases in muscle tension, which can worsen or produce pains in muscles, tendons and joints when there is chronic muscle tension due to stress.
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| # Improved sleep that can be achieved through relaxation, which improves physiological functions.
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| # Improvements in emotional tensions, depression, anger and other emotions that can otherwise impair social relationships and functioning in the workplace, leading to vicious circles of increased psychological symptoms.
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| Another phrase that often includes self-healing is [[self-help]]. In 2013 [[Kathryn Schulz]] examined it as "an $11 billion industry".<ref>
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| {{cite news
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| | title = The Self in Self-Help: We have no idea what a self is. So how can we fix it?
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| | first = Kathryn
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| | last = Schulz
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| | authorlink = Kathryn Schulz
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| | url = http://nymag.com/health/self-help/2013/schulz-self-searching/
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| | newspaper = [[New York (magazine)|New York Magazine]]
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| | publisher = New York Media, LLC
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| | issn = 0028-7369
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| | date = 2013-01-06
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| | accessdate = 2013-01-11
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| | quote = We have, however, developed an $11 billion industry dedicated to telling us how to improve our lives.
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| }}
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| </ref>
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| [[Twelve-step program]]s support individuals recovering from dysfunctional families and addictive/compulsive behaviors.
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| ==See also==
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| * [[Vis medicatrix naturae]]
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| * [[Orthopathy]]
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| * [[DNA repair]], a self-repair mechanism
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| ==References==
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| {{Reflist}}
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| {{DEFAULTSORT:Self-Healing}}
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| [[Category:Concepts in alternative medicine]] | |
| [[Category:Healing]]
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| [[Category:Self-care]]
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The process by which an organism repairs itself
Self-healing refers to the process by which an organism repairs and regenerates itself without external intervention. This phenomenon is observed in various biological systems and is a critical aspect of homeostasis, allowing organisms to maintain internal stability and recover from injuries or diseases.
Biological Mechanisms[edit]
Self-healing in biological systems involves several mechanisms, including cell regeneration, tissue repair, and immune response. These processes are orchestrated by complex signaling pathways and involve various cell types and molecules.
Cell Regeneration[edit]
Cell regeneration is a fundamental aspect of self-healing, where damaged or lost cells are replaced by new ones. This process is particularly evident in tissues with high turnover rates, such as the skin and intestinal epithelium. In these tissues, stem cells play a crucial role by dividing and differentiating into the necessary cell types to restore tissue integrity.
Tissue Repair[edit]
Tissue repair involves the restoration of tissue architecture and function following injury. This process can be divided into several phases: inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. During the inflammatory phase, immune cells remove debris and pathogens. The proliferative phase involves the formation of new tissue, while the remodeling phase strengthens and reorganizes the tissue.
Immune Response[edit]
The immune system is integral to self-healing, as it identifies and eliminates pathogens and damaged cells. It also facilitates tissue repair by releasing cytokines and growth factors that promote cell proliferation and differentiation.
Self-Healing in Different Organisms[edit]
Self-healing capabilities vary among organisms. Some species, such as salamanders and planarians, exhibit remarkable regenerative abilities, capable of regenerating entire limbs or body parts. In contrast, mammals have more limited regenerative capacities, although certain tissues, like the liver, can regenerate to a significant extent.
In humans, self-healing is evident in processes such as wound healing, bone repair, and liver regeneration. The skin is a prime example, where minor cuts and abrasions heal through a well-coordinated sequence of events involving clot formation, inflammation, tissue formation, and remodeling.
Plants also exhibit self-healing abilities, such as the formation of callus tissue at wound sites. This tissue can differentiate into various cell types to restore damaged structures. Additionally, plants can seal off damaged areas to prevent pathogen entry and water loss.
Applications of Self-Healing[edit]
Understanding self-healing mechanisms has significant implications for medicine and biotechnology. Researchers aim to harness these processes to develop regenerative therapies and improve wound healing. For example, tissue engineering and stem cell therapy are fields that seek to replicate or enhance natural self-healing processes to treat injuries and degenerative diseases.
Related Pages[edit]
