True Believer

“Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.” – William James

We have examined how our thoughts may play an active role in our physical health, but what about our beliefs? After all, many of our thoughts are founded on, or influenced by, our core beliefs. For instance, if one views the world as primarily a scary, threatening place, one would be more likely to interpret situations negatively, leading to negative thinking. However, someone who views the world as intrinsically safe and nurturing would be more likely to interpret situations in an optimistic light, which would lead them to entertain more positive thoughts. And, of course, there is the subject of one’s religion, spirituality, or lack thereof. If a person believes in a loving, caring God and an afterlife, how might their thought patterns differ from someone who believes we are all just a cosmic coincidence, floating on a rock in a meaningless void?

Let’s start by examining what has been named the “nocebo effect.” This term refers to the phenomenon of harmless substances having a harmful effect, so basically the opposite of the “placebo effect.” Numerous studies have indicated that if a patient has a deep pessimism about their chances for recovery, and their doctor prescribes them medication and informs them of possible negative side effects, that patient is more likely to experience those side effects, and to a greater degree, than a patient who has an optimistic view of their recovery. In addition, a landmark study published by Science Daily, where more than 160 studies of the mind-body connection were reviewed, found that if a person had positive beliefs, they enjoyed better health outcomes (the “placebo effect”). More recent studies have taken this a step further, using what are called “open placebos.” Here, the patients are told that they are being given a placebo, and it is explained to them that research shows that placebos can be beneficial if the patient believes they will be. These studies suggest that, even with the patient knowing all of this, the placebos still had a positive impact and helped the patients to feel better. 

Another interesting facet of the belief-body connection deals with stress. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin followed 30,000 American adults who experienced varying levels of stress over the course of eight years. They found that the people who believed that stress could kill died at a much higher rate than anyone else in the study. Perhaps more surprisingly, the people who experienced high levels of stress, but did not believe that stress was harmful, had the lowest risk of dying of anyone in the study. It certainly seems possible, therefore, that what we believe may exercise some influence on our health outcomes. As Jeffrey Hubble, Director of Behavioral Health at GraceMed points out: “Our brains are powerful computers. If you have negative beliefs, that will program your brain to think negatively. If you have optimistic beliefs, you are programming your brain to have a positive outlook on the world.” 

If our general beliefs and worldview can impact our physical health, it seems only logical to look at our religious beliefs, spiritual beliefs, or our lack of these types of beliefs, to see if they might interact with our health. Again, studies suggest that these belief patterns may also have an effect on our bodies’ well-being. One study, published in Health Psychology, found that people who described themselves as “highly religious” or attended weekly spiritual gatherings had longer lifespans than those who did not describe themselves as holding such beliefs. And this could not be accounted for by looking at a tendency in religious people to lead healthier lifestyles, or by the possible healthy impact of more consistent and robust social connections. However, the tone of one’s religious or spiritual beliefs may also play a role in our health. Studies have shown that if one has a loving and caring relationship with their God, then they report better mental health, whereas people who view God as judgmental and wrathful suffer more mental health symptoms. While this doesn’t establish a direct correlation, it certainly seems to suggest that having a positive relationship with one’s God could be better for the body. If nothing else, there are certainly studies that support the notion that prayer and meditation can aid in regulating blood pressure.

Again, we must be careful here. None of the research is conclusive, and there is still a great deal more for us to learn. But perhaps it is worth considering the case of Greg Thomas. In May of 2009, Greg was diagnosed with inoperable head and neck cancer. His situation was so dire, in fact, that his doctors advised Greg’s family to start planning his funeral. For years, Greg had visited a dilapidated church in his neighborhood while he took his daily walks, where he would stop to sit on the church steps and pray. One evening after his diagnosis, he stopped at the steps and had an idea. He prayed to God and told Him that, while he was still on this earth, he wanted to do something for Him by repairing the church that was so badly in need of restoration. 

This would not be easy, as he had been through numerous rounds of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. He had lost a great deal of weight. He relied on a feeding tube that his doctors said he would have for the rest of his days. Greg asked the church that he be given a key to the front door so that he could enter and worship any time he wished; the church agreed and Greg set to work. Interestingly, he found that he was feeling stronger with each day that he worked on the church. Amazingly, he eventually didn’t even need the strong pain medication his doctor had prescribed. As Greg recalls: “My oncologist was blown away. She said, ‘Whatever you are doing, keep on doing it.’”

Fast forward to four years after Greg’s diagnosis, and his doctors were able to remove the feeding tube that they were certain would never be removed, and Greg ate solid food again. He remained in remission, with doctors advising that there was no longer any need for follow-up tests, until the cancer returned in 2015. Greg passed away in 2016. While this may seem to negate any of the positive outcomes noted above, let’s take a moment to choose the angle of perspective from which to view this. Greg’s doctors told him he was going to die in 2009, and somehow, his cancer went into remission as he was working to do an act of gratitude for God, and he was blessed with an additional 6 years of health. Did his strength of faith play a role in his miraculous recovery? 

Given that we are dealing with faith, we may never know the answer to this question. But, just as with our thoughts, it seems reasonable to conclude that we have nothing to lose, and much to gain, by adopting positive core beliefs, engaging in a larger perspective of our world and the universe, and nurturing a sense of faith.