Forgiveness can work as medicine for healing

Dr. Dwight James

Medical Opinion

Whether it is in a private medical office, the emergency room, the local blood drive or the hospital, we have all had to complete medical questionnaires.

Sometimes the forms are very short and sometimes they can be annoyingly long. The purpose it to give the health provider some information about your health history.

The health provider now has a road map to follow concerning your health. You are familiar with such questions as age of parent’s death. Have you ever had certain diseases? You probably have never seen a question that asks, “Is there someone you need to forgive?” “Are you carrying bitterness against someone?”

I once asked a patient if there were people she needed to forgive. She first looked at me as if I had lost my mind. On further inquiry, it became a very cathartic visit and she was able to move away from her illness.

If you are going to treat the whole person these issues become very important. In medicine we are not approaching the issues from a religious perspective.

First, let’s look at a dictionary as opposed to a biblical definition of forgiveness: “Forgiveness is a decision to let go of resentment and bitterness and to release oneself from thoughts of revenge.”

When someone does something to us that causes feelings of resentment or revenge, chemicals in the body called catecholamines began to surge. These chemicals, such as epinephrine and norepineprine, have both beneficial and negative effects.

If you are so upset with someone that every time you see them it alters your mood, these chemicals may be having negative effects on your body.

We all know of stories where someone was so upset with another person that is caused them to have a heart attack or stroke. Research indicates that people who refrain from grudges and bitterness have lower blood pressure, less stress, lower heart rate, better anger management and reduction of chronic pain.

As a physician treating people for various conditions, I often instruct them to take certain medications, refrain from certain foods, do not smoke, and do not drink in excess. I might be helping people just as much by telling them to not hold grudges and bitterness.

Secondly, we know that people who are less bitter tend to be more positive and optimistic. Optimism can determine how long you can live.

A Dutch study illustrated that people who were highly optimistic had lower rates of cardiovascular disease than those people who rated themselves as bitter or pessimistic. The research indicates that there are no areas in the life of an individual that are not benefited by reduction in grudges and bitterness.

Try getting rid of some of the grudges and bitterness. You might be able to reduce the number of medications you take.

When I was growing up, there was a young lady in our neighborhood who was in a wheelchair. She had disfigured hands and her knees where quite knotted. It was known in the neighborhood (although I donÂ’t recall how we knew) that her husband was an abuser. One day her husband died. She eventually started walking and her hands and knees became normal. She no longer needed the wheelchair. I learned that this was a case where her mental health had influenced her physical health.

I am not equipped to treat the disease of unforgiveness. However, the literature is replete with information that tells us it should be treated for health reasons.

There are, however, ministers, counselors, psychologists and other men of the cloth who are well equipped in the subject. You donÂ’t have to wait until youÂ’re on your dying bed to ask for forgiveness. I think it works while standing.

Dr. Dwight James is a family doctor and weight loss specialist practicing in Porterville. Contact him at djmdjd@msn.com.