Observations placeholder
Hack Tuke, Daniel – Sickness - Impotence induced by powerful emotions – stress and anxiety
Identifier
026126
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
As described in Illustrations Of The Influence Of The Mind Upon The Body In Health And Disease, Designed To Elucidate The Action Of The Imagination - Daniel Hack Tuke, M.D., M.R.C.P.,
PART II. THE EMOTIONS.
CHAPTER IX. INFLUENCE OF THE EMOTIONS UPON THE INVOLUNTARY MUSCLES.
BLOODVESSELS.
The attention directed, during the last few years, to the muscular tissues of the blood vessels and to the vaso-motor nerves, has thrown great light upon the long-observed fact of the influence of Emotion upon the vessels. The pallor induced by Fear, the crimson blush of shame (" O Shame ! where is thy blush ?") are psycho-physical phenomena universally recognized, and indicate the remarkable local vascular changes caused by various feelings of the mind, independently of the general disturbance of the circulation which emotional excitement may produce, by acting, as already described, upon the heart itself.
The influence of Emotion on erectile tissues belongs to the same class ; in fact, the increased action of the heart and rapidity of the general circulation may in this instance prove actually antagonistic to local hyperemia [increase of blood flow to different tissues in the body- engorgement needed for an erection].
CI. Bernard's demonstration of two distinct circulations — the cardiac and the capillary — the latter being directly controlled by the nervous system and acting " separately upon each individual spot of the body," is applicable here. It helps us to understand how some parts of the system may remain in their ordinary condition, while others are morbidly affected or exhibit certain physiological phenomena.