Belief in Faith Healing may hinder recovery

Jessibelle

Belief in faith healing could jeopardise recovery from illness, according to a new study by University of Ulster researcher Dr Tony Cassidy.

The Coleraine-based academic is presenting his research at the British Psychological Society’s Division of Health Psychology annual conference being held at Aston University, Birmingham.

“For medical treatment to be most effective patients should follow medical or prescribed health advice. However it’s possible that people who put their trust in faith healing may be less likely to adhere to medical advice," he said.

Source here:http://news.ulster.ac.uk/releases/2009/4596.html

My question is this, do you think that belief in a faith is a hinderance or a help to patient treatment? While there are extreme examples that we all know of treatment hinderance, such as the Jehovah Witness cases, are there instances wheer a faith has helped patient treatment??

tallaght01

So, what do YOU think of his findings?

Jessibelle

I think his findings are rather generic to be honest, just because someone holds a religious belief or faith does not, in my view make them less likely to take risks with their health, unless they were the type of person to do that anyway. If the findings had read 2 out of 3 atheists don't finish theire course of antibiotics, I think it would have had less sensationalism.
With that said, I do think that faith is necessary to a degree in healing. I don't necessarily mean religious beliefs by that but I do think the power of the mind is an extraodinary thing. I've yet to see papers that prove it definitively, but I've read that psychological states such as stress can influence what diseases we get and how effectively they can be cured. A certain percentage of people do recover from quite serious illnesses for unknown reasons. If a visit to a faith healer or shaman or witch doctor has provided them with the necessary assurance and faith to allow them the psychological advantage here then I'm all for it.
My original question is skewed in the second reading admitedly, what I'm interested in is peoples opinions on whether a belief/faith/optimistic outlook is benifical in the healing process?

tallaght01

Nearly every doctor will tell you that an optimistic outlook is associated with better recovery in general. People who are mentally worse after an accident or an op seem to suffer worse pain.

Placebo is proven to work.

So, I reckon attitude counts a lot.

But, the other question is interesting. I wonder do people who are into faith healing have worse health (if they do, that is) because they don't trust docs. r is it because medicine has failed them,and the fact they use healers is more an indication in itself that they have worse health?