Holy placebo

The effect of prayer and positive thinking on health has long puzzled scientists and doctors.

The effect of prayer and positive thinking on health has long puzzled scientists and doctors. Can faith really move mountains? Can it provide an alternate cure to illnesses when medical technology fails? This remains a controversial issue, vehemently opposed by doctors, who scoff at the very concept of supernatural intervention. Yet, there are enough instances of terminally ill patients turning to their faiths in desperation, and making miraculous recoveries after prayer.

The link between spirituality, belief in God, and health cannot be ignored. Prayer has a soothing effect on the mind, and the medical community is generally agreed that believers are usually in better health than non-believers. They’re also less likely to indulge in self-destructive behaviour and take better care of themselves. Children who are raised in homes where religion plays a big role are more likely to understand the concepts of right and wrong, faster than kids who aren’t. Usually, it is hopelessness in a situation that compels people to seek a higher power. But there is no doubt that prayer helps us alleviate stress and cope with problems better. Maybe, this is what gives the immune system a boost, that ultimately will lead to good health.

The concept of faith and its power to improve our lives may not be scientifically logical, but it’s an enduring theme that has been explored repeatedly by therapists and even, writers. AA, the hugely successful support group for recovering alcoholics has a 12-step programme, which relies largely on faith to help people kick their addiction. In a study on schizophrenia patients in Lucknow, there was immediate deterioration among patients who stopped saying their daily prayer. The Secret, Rhonda Bryne’s best-selling book on personal transformation, is based on the tenets of ‘ask, believe and receive to alter your life’. Similarly, according to Paulo Coelho’s popular fable, The Alchemist, when you want something badly enough, the Universe conspires to make it happen.

On the other hand, research in medicine is constantly evolving and lots of widely prescribed pills are under scrutiny. For example, a recent study has shaken psychiatrists worldwide by suggesting that anti-depressants make no impact whatsoever, and may even promote suicidal tendencies among mental health patients. Are we really better off relying on science and being sceptical about faith? Or maybe it’s the ideal combination of divine intervention and science that actually works.