Medsarticles. Medical Weblog

It is important to realize that the maxim ‘A change is as good as a holiday’ is not always true. Major events and changes in life—whether pleasant or unpleasant—invariably give rise to stress. Too much stress can, as seen, lead to physical illness. To avoid unnecessary ills, therefore, it is wise to order one’s life in such a way as to ensure that changes do not occur too rapidly or drastically.

It has been shown that it is the amount of change that matters—whether welcome or unwelcome—not necessarily the nature of the change. If possible, the individual should make preparations in advance to cope with the additional stress which major changes impose. If, for example, a person plans to retire, sell his house and move interstate, it would be wise for this person to retire one year, and move interstate the next. This avoids accumulating too many changes in a short space of time.

It is also as well for doctors to be aware that patients quite rightly are going out after what they see as their own best cures, and sometimes leaving conventional medicine far behind them. It is easy for us to dismiss some of the techniques described in this chapter as esoteric entertainments of little practical value. This, however, would be an unfortunate conclusion, as so many of the techniques described have helped many patients, particularly those with skin disorders. The physician should be able to understand and guide patients to the method of treatment most suited to their particular needs.

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