| Over the last couple of days there have been several articles and news stories based on new findings by US researchers that positive thinking does nothing to improve the life expectancy of cancer sufferers. To me this is such a negative attitude. |
I find this not only hard to believe but also a very negative approach. One problem with research such as this is that it is too narrow in its approach and to its original question. Surely the question should be, does negative thinking and depression reduce the life expectancy of a cancer sufferer.
Cancer is probably one of the hardest illnesses to live with. It can be a long, slow and painful condition which if not dealt with early, leads to death. Quality of life is an important issue for both the sufferer and their friends and families. Being able to approach things in a positive way obviously makes life a little easier on everyone. Being negative often leads to depression which in itself has many effects.
My personal thoughts are that scientist really need to think about how the outcomes of their research findings are going to effect people suffering from various illnesses. In this case, if they had researched the effects of negative thinking on life expectancy of cancer sufferers, the results would have had no negative impact on those sufferers. If negative thoughts reduces life expectancy, the action is to try and improve their feelings; if negative thoughts had no effect, then no action would be required.
As it stands now, sufferers and their families look at these types of reports and come away with the feeling that it is all hopeless, it doesn’t matter if I help them feel good, it has no long term effect; or, the sufferer feels more depressed etc etc etc.
Time to think researchers – there is an obligation to think about how you going to report your findings, what effect your findings are going to have on the broader community, and whether or not you could better phrase the question.
You are absolutely right!.
I’m not too sure about these scientist and their researches, but personally, I feel that positive thinking will have a positive effect on those cancer patients and their loved ones. As they say, “Mind over Matter”. So let’s stay positive everyone.
Unless you are God/Goddess or whatever you perceive your Higher Power to be how would you know whether it will work or not ….and how do you measure whether it works? If you are able to have peace within does that count?
Just two weeks ago, a woman our church shared her miraculous account of living with cancer for over 15 years! She wasn’t supposed to make it this long.The doctors look at her and marvel and have no answer for why she has lasted. But she has a family she loves and a faith that is deep. Call her “positive” and blessed with faith that is greater than her prognosis. Call it positive thinking, too- but whatever you do, don’t call the researchers who are busy with their nose in their “findings”.
Do you advocate misleading suffering cancer patients with false notions? What about those who get no result from positive thinking? Are they to be blamed for being “too negative”? Take a look at these words of actual patients: http://www.humansideofcancer.com/chapter2/chapter.2.htm
The researchers do not dispute the value of positive attitude in coping with illness. They simply report the apparent fact that the cancer itself takes no notice.
I prefer to leave empirical questions to those who are trained to investigate them. We may not always like the results, but it’s better than living in a dream world.