Spirituality Saves Lives

Believing you have a life purpose makes a difference. A study of over 7100 people asked them a number of questions and then followed their health over 14 years.  These are few things discovered:

  • The people who had a strong sense of purpose—a reason for getting up each day— lived longer. This was true for people of all ages, for both men and women, and even when they accounted for depression or other mental health issues.
  • What you expect to happen will affect health. In one study, patients with pain were either told by a doctor they were getting pain medication, or the medicine was just added to their IV line behind a curtain, so they would not know.2 The people who knew had a much faster drop in their pain. The reverse was also true. If they were told the pain medicine was turned off, their pain came back much faster than if the medication was stopped without their being told. This tells us that the mind has a lot of power when it comes to what we believe about pain.
  • Your beliefs guide your health choices. People may become very attached to their treatments. Some people rely on “complementary approaches.” Some people have more confidence in medications than in other treatments, while others prefer to manage their health more with diet and exercise.
  • Having healthy spiritual beliefs seems to make you healthier. For example, we know that people who attend weekly spiritual gatherings or say they are ‘highly religious’ live longer. This does not just seem to be tied just to healthier habits, like less smoking or drinking, or to the health benefits of being around other people.

 

You may be wondering: How do I know where do my beliefs fit in with my health care?  Consider these suggestions…

  • The key is to know what you believe when you are talking about your health and, at the same time, to be able to understand if someone else believes differently. Your health care team may suggest something that is confusing or you disagree with. The key is to work through those differences. There are a few ways to do that.
  • Be very open about what you believe. Some people feel like it is hard to talk about their beliefs with their care providers, but letting them know what you are thinking is important.
  • Try to understand where other people are coming from. The more you can understand other ways of looking at what is going on, the better you will be able to make the best choices you can about your health.
  • Notice emotions. Sometimes discussions about beliefs become very emotional. If that is happening, it helps to pause and ask what you are feeling, and why. Some people feel fear if their beliefs are being questioned, or anger. That is worth exploring.