Emeritus Professor Dr. Chamlong Disayavanish
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University
The World Health Organization’s definition of “health” consists of four dimensions: (1) physical, (2) mental, (3) social and (4) spiritual. Spiritual well-being is considered the latest addition to the aspect of health. This holistic or biopsychosocial model defines health in terms of the whole person, not as separated diseased parts of the body. The model encompasses the physiological, mental, emotion, feeling, cognitive, spiritual, as well as the environmental aspects of individuals, families and communities. Holistic health care focuses on the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of the patient and promotion of health in all aspects.
The author will present two clinical cases in order to demonstrate the various aspects of holistic health care.
(Presented in the 2017 Chulalongkorn Thai-Tai Heritage Forum: Healing and Herbal Medicine (การรักษาโรคกับการใช้ยาสมุนไพรในวัฒนธรรมไทย-ไท), 22-23 June 2017, Le Meridien Chiang Mai Hotel, Chiang Mai, organized by the Empowering Network for International Thai and ASEAN Studies, Institute of Thai Studies, Chulalongkorn University, Lanna Studies Center, Faculty of humanities ,Chiang Mai University and Thai Language Department, School of Liberal Arts Mae Fah Luang University)