Mind-Body-Spirit as the Future of Healthcare?

In the last few decades, there has been many studies released focusing on the relationship between religion and spirituality, and, mental and physical health. It has been argued that religious belief may in fact influence a person's health. One topic of particular interest within this subject is prayer. Prayer has come to be understood as a kind of treatment modality. It has been thought of as a medicine to fight against disease. However, this argument is somewhat irrational.

According to Cohen and co,  scientists seeking hard evidence of prayer's curative powers misunderstand the nature of prayer in the Western theistic traditions (2000). This contemporary way of linking prayer with medicine is grounded in a basic misunderstanding of the nature and role of prayer in religious traditions.

Although these authors realise that religious belief may influence health, they are sceptical about whether prayer can be tested scientifically. They highlight that "no one can sincerely practice a faith for its health benefits" (Cohen et al 2000). Religious adherents engage in prayers because that is where they encounter God. Entering into prayer is entering into a personal relation with the creator. So, true religious peoples do not pray solely to get their needs met. They pray to meet their most fundamental need, their need for God. In other words, praying is not a sure means of getting God to give humans their way. Therefore, if one prays solely for selfish reasons, such as to rid illness, the prayer is not essentially 'real,' it simply becomes a means to an end, which it is not.

God is not a means to a humans end. He is the End (Cohen et al 2000). So, prayer is also not a means to an end, but an end in itself. Religious folk do not engage in prayer for self-interest reasons. So, if prayer is carried out as an experiment, it is not being carried out to help patient's recover but to see what happens. It this light, it is not a 'real' prayer. One cannot simply ask God for something and expect it to happen. Prayer does not work this way. It is not a sure means of getting God to give humans their way. It can neither be measured or verified.

Doctors should therefore not possess the ability to prescribe religion or prayer as a form of medicine. Religion and prayer is not a means to an end. It is not something that someone can simply pick up and take, like medicine, to make themselves feel better. It is not a drug. Religion and spirituality, and therefore prayer, are not something someone can just decide they want because a study says that there are connections between it and good health. Religion or spirituality is so much more than a remedy for sickness. It is a way of life and a person's belief system. So, prayer is not something a doctor can prescribe a patient to do, especially if the patient is not religious at all. Only a truly religious person understands the significance of prayer and the importance of their spirituality, and therefore can reap the benefits from their loving God. It should not be exploited or degraded. It is a special connection between an adherent and their God.

Although it can be recognised that religious conviction and a spiritual wellbeing can promote good health and healing, doctors should not be specifically prescribing religion as a treatment. However, clinicians should become comfortable addressing basic spiritual and religious needs of a patient, such as their religious history, supporting their beliefs and ensuring them access to religious resources (Larimore et al 2000). When people become ill, they constantly rely on their religious beliefs and practices to relieve stress, take control, maintain hope and give their life meaning and purpose. So, it would be illogical, senseless and uncaring to ignore a person's religiosity altogether. It positively reduces the feeling of helplessness that accompanies illness.

So, clinicians, doctors and nurses should address the religious and spiritual needs of a patient, but, these people should not be prescribing religion as a form of medication. Religion, spirituality and prayer will not help people who are not religious or spiritual themselves. Spirituality is not a means to an end but an end in itself.

References

Cohen, C.B., S.E. Wheeler, D.A. Scott, & the Anglican Working Group in Bioethics. (2000). Prayer as therapy: A challenge to both religious belief and professional ethics. The Hastings Center Report 30: 40-47.

Larimore, W.L., M. Parker, & M. Crowther. (2002). Should clinicians incorporate positive spirituality into their practices? What does the evidence say? Annals of Behavioural Medicine 24: 69-73.