Michael Douglas, pharmaceutical medicine, and the death of Wall Street

Famed Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas is prepared to undergo treatment for his recently discovered throat cancer. Despite his public statements of optimism for a full recovery, Douglas, the star of dozens of Hollywood films including The Game and Wall Street could die in the next couple years based on the type of cancer he has and the effects of conventional treatments. For most cancers, chemotherapy and radiation are unlikely to bring the cancer into remission for a significant length of time. Some studies have suggested that no treatment at all leads to a longer survival time than standard chemotherapy protocols. The medical paradigm that Douglas is choosing for treatment is just as much a cesspool of fraud and deception as the finance world in which his Wall Street character is enmeshed. Ironically, as the Wall Street film is resurrected now for a sequel which includes Douglas, its main star may soon be passing away, due to the deadly effects of the medical system imposed on America by the same monopolists who dominate the real life Wall Street. Douglas has announced that he will miss promotional engagements for the film due to undergoing treatment for his illness. Doctors discovered a cancerous tumor in his throat this August and have scheduled him for several weeks of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Those with the greatest successes in treating cancer have found it vital to heal psychological and emotional issues that generate the cancer producing stresses affecting the body. Changes in lifestyle and non-toxic therapies to enhance the immune system and halt cancer cell growth have also been used effectively to support recovery. Dr. Leonard Coldwell, author of The Only Answer To Cancer and Instinct Based Medicine teaches a self-healing system that anyone can implement. Coldwell's own mother recovered from cancer with these insights. Dr. Ryke Hamer is another pioneer in mind-body medicine who has taught people to address underlying psychological conflicts that fuel cancers. Perhaps best known is Louise Hay, founder of Hay House Publishing, whose best-seller You Can Heal Your Life documents her own success with healing psychological and spiritual issues that had fostered her illness. Many seeking help with cancer have also visited the Cancer Tutor website, which examines and evaluates many alternative therapies that address cancer on the physical level.

We live in a reality where archetypes are played out - universal themes and roles. Currently, the global financial system is in the midst of a collapse, which could spell the death of Wall Street and its control of America and world finances. This archetypal downfall of greed may not be easy to watch or experience but it is a necessary part of the Earth drama. America is also the home of Hollywood - the factory of magic and illusions that shape the consciousness of humanity. Michael Douglas is intertwined with these archetypes via his acting role as the greedy Gordon Gekko in Wall Street.

Oliver Stone's reprisal of Wall Street may herald a farewell to both Douglas and the financial system depicted in these movies. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps fast forwards to follow Gordon Gekko two decades from the time of the original story. In the sequel he is estranged from his daughter and has resumed his greedy machinations. Meanwhile, in his real life, Douglas' ex-wife Diandra is seeking half of his payout from the upcoming film. Additionally, Douglas' son Cameron is in prison for 5 years, convicted earlier this year of dealing narcotics. Cameron Douglas, now in his early 30s, has been dealing with drug addiction problems since his early teens. Michael Douglas reported that he was "devastated" by his son's arrest in 2009. Cameron's drug problems seemingly began with the break-up of his parents' marriage. Michael (now married to actress Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Diandra split-up when Cameron was a teenager, formally divorcing in 2000. In and out of treatment, Cameron's problems continued to grow. Michael cut him off from the family fortune in 2006 when Cameron failed to comply with treatment. In an appeal letter to the judge for leniency for his son, Michael Douglas described the history of his son's struggles.

These circumstances illustrate the stress and emotional pain that Douglas has experienced. Healing these emotional wounds and family traumas would be a vital part of a multi-faceted approach to recovering from cancer. Assaulting one's body with radiation and cytotoxic chemicals does not heal the disturbances in the energy field and psyche that are fostering physical pathology. These measures themselves are cancer-causing and weakening to the individual, who needs energy and strength to truly heal. While we can appreciate Michael Douglas' skill and artistry as an actor we can learn to avoid the pitfalls of his characters on the screen and in "real" life. Just as we can see the soul-distortion of being a ruthless finance mogul we can also look for healthy lifestyle and healing choices rather than carrying the weight of stress and trauma or assaulting our body with deadly chemicals in an attempt to hide the symptoms of discord that the body is showing.  While it is certainly wished for Michael Douglas to recover and share his talent with us in more films, the prognosis is not geared toward that outcome if he fails to heal the source of his illness.