Religious beliefs and spirituality can play an important role in reducing stress and depression in cancer patients.
A study by researchers at Mount Sinai Health System has found that patients undergoing radiation therapy for cancer benefit more when they talk about spirituality and beliefs with doctors.
The study is unique in identifying that patients prioritize questions related to spirituality during their treatment journey. Patients reported that such conversations strengthen their ability to cope with stress. According to the results of the study, 82 percent of patients considered their faith very important in their lives and admitted that the power of religious beliefs and spirituality reduced their depression, which gave them the courage to treat the disease. The researchers highlighted that cancer patients are highly susceptible to stress and depression, and more than 40 percent of patients experience stress for several months after treatment, so spirituality acts as a strong emotional support system in such cases. The researchers emphasized that spiritual health should be considered as important as physical health. They added that acknowledging patients’ religious or spiritual beliefs during treatment improves their overall emotional health.
Researchers say that patients who receive such help are often calmer and more optimistic, so we suggest that spirituality could become a standard part of cancer treatment. Researchers now plan to conduct extensive research in this area after the results of the recent study were released.
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