Can we change our biology through our psychology?

That is why we tell someone, “You need to go to therapy.” This is not the insult many think it is, though it might need to be better stated with compassion and care. All of us need therapy. Therapy isn’t for “crazy” people. That is. NOT. A. Thing.

So many of us are leading limited lives, not because we have to but because we think we have to. Many people believe they are who they are, and that they have limited means to change their health or life direction. "It is what it is," they say, "because of my genetic makeup” or “because my body has changed.”

Well, maybe not. What does this mean, "we think we have to"?

Humans have around 37.3 trillion operating cells that are affected by our thoughts. Years and years of research reveal that when people change their thoughts and behavior, they can improve their health and ultimately their life. (We might not be able to change some medical facts, or facts of genetics such as cancer, but we can alter our biology in so many other areas such as weight, insomnia, and anxiety.) My point is our human cells will work with our conscious and subconscious to improve our biology when we take care of our psychology.

And yes, this includes healing from addiction.

When we form beliefs in our minds, they tend to stick and will influence us. Even when we receive facts, many people will persistently push on with their beliefs. In fact, social media’s propaganda was exposed due to this behavior. Marketeers have a practice of driving narratives that highlight propaganda rather than facts. People tend to believe what their social feeds feed their minds. Social media’s propagandizing has become one of the most influential sources for “truth” or “facts” in this modern era.

When we recognize our own biases and how our brain responds to stimuli, we can protect ourselves from falling into the trap of faulty thinking patterns and behavior. Also, we can avoid the habit of denying facts because we do not like what we know, we do not like who said it, or it does not work for us. So, we choose to do something different. We must be careful that we are not choosing a different direction because of how we feel about the facts.

Here is a classic way we can change our biology through our psychology – our physical health. Consider this proposition: eat junk food every day for a week. At the end of the week, rate your anxiety, mood, and energy on a scale of 1-10. The following week, eat healthy nutritious food every day. Rate yourself the same. We will see what we put in our mouth has affected our mental, physical, and emotional health. This is a fact. Try it.

What about changing our sexual drive through our psychology? Is it possible? There are no guarantees; however, we can rule out what is preventing our sexual drive from being ignited. Is it low libido, low testosterone, perimenopause or menopause, postpartum depression, medications, stress, trauma, etc.? One of the best ways to rule out our biological issues is from a medical professional. Another way to address both the biological and psychological issues is finding a caring therapist.

That is why we tell someone, “You need to go to therapy.” This is not the insult many think it is, though it might need to be better stated with compassion and care. All of us need therapy. Therapy isn’t for “crazy” people. That is. NOT. A. Thing.

The REAL insult is that not everyone has access to the therapy we ALL need. Access to mental healthcare should be as common as medical healthcare is for everyone. It is unfortunate that so many people do not have the opportunity or means to seek mental healthcare when they need it.

There are trained therapists, doctors, and counselors who can guide us through our psychological matters that constantly affect our biology. We must shut down the stigmas to seeking mental healthcare because the number of marriages, relationships, and individuals failing around us is staggering.

Of course, spiritual truth lays the path for our decision-making, but spiritual truth can also direct us to the practical steps of altering our biology to live an improved life. In fact, spiritual truth warrants us to look at our biology from a well-rounded, 360-degree perspective. When we do this type of work, we will seek guidance in spiritual, biological, and psychological ways. We are created in God’s image, but we are flawed humans who need well-rounded support to give God our best and glorify Him in our bodies and minds.