Final Paper
Spirituality
Spirituality, a term not understood by many. When people think about spirituality they tend to link it with religion. Religion and spirituality are not the same thing, nor are they entirely distinct from one another. Different kinds of question arise: Is religion different from spirituality? What is meant by the term spiritual being? What does it mean to be spiritually healthy? To put it briefly, religion is a set of beliefs and rituals that claim to get a person in a right relationship with God, and spirituality is a focus on spiritual things and the spiritual world instead of physical or earthly things. There is no single, widely-agreed definition…show more content… Best example of this will be study of the “placebo effect” that has led to the conclusions that our beliefs are powerful and can influence our health outcomes. Adhering to a particular spiritual tradition may bring an indirect health benefit because many traditions have rules about treating the body with love, kindness and avoiding behaviors considered to be unhealthy. It is believed that people who practice a faith tradition are less likely to smoke or drink, commit a crime, or become involved in violent activity, and they are more likely to engage in preventative habits like wearing seatbelts and taking vitamins. Thus, preventing their exposure to many rising chronic diseases. Dr. Steven Southwick’s book, Resilience: The Science of Mastering Life’s Greatest Challenges, describes how some people overcome trauma—such as abduction, war, and imprisonment—by seeking comfort in spirituality or religion. He gives examples where spiritual people find ways to “meet the challenge and continue with purposeful lives, bouncing back and carrying on with their life.” Spirituality influences patients to cope with their or closed one`s illness and gives them a positive state of mind. Spiritual traditions encourage participation in a community such as attending church or temples which can serve as a source of social support,…show more content… Firstly, it helps to cultivate the attention, awareness required for performing basic tasks or an individual`s occupation. Secondly, it lifts a person`s mood, providing a sense of calm severing as a connection between an individual and his state of mind, his/her happiness and mood. Thirdly, assessing life at a micro and macro level to understand a perspective on a broader scale. On the down side, there has been observed an association between negative spiritual beliefs and poor health outcomes for example refusal of appropriate medical management against the physician`s words, believing in things having no science basis (Why I am sick? Is this the way of the Almighty to punish me for my wrong deeds?). Spirituality can come to the forefront during emotional stress, physical illness, or death. Client may suffer from finding answers for his beliefs, it is important to support the client during the time of exploration, as may be vital to health and healing. Helping them find the answers within themselves or through a spiritual community may be the most important thing to
