Health: The Emotional, Social, and Spiritual Paradigms Richard A. Swenson, MD April 9, 2005

An Integrated Understanding of Health  The 90/10 principle: Ninety percent of the indices that determine whether we are healthy or ill are not influenced by the medical paradigm

In other words...  All the doctors, hospitals, and pharmaceuticals influence only ten percent of our wellness or illness  Yet this ten percent is costing us $1.9 trillion/year... ... and rising rapidly

Health Care Costs $1 trillion $3.4 trillion

What should we do?  Work on the ninety percent by developing an integrated understanding of health  THIS IS WHERE THE CHURCH COMES IN!

The Church and Healthcare  History  Center of community  Faith = Health (1200 studies)  Preexistent, natural synergies

Preexistent Natural Synergies  Parish nurses  Church-based clinics  Group visits with shared diagnoses  Hospital visits  Post-surgery care  Meals during sickness  Respite care  Retirement homes, Assisted living, Nursing homes

Preexistent Natural Synergies  Hospice, Death and dying  Prayer  Social supports  Group accountability  Care for the poor  Help for uninsured  Lifestyle disease intervention with accountability  Bioethical standards  Alternative medicine possibilities

Beyond the Physical Paradigm…  The Emotional  The Social  The Spiritual

The Emotional  Do we live in a deteriorating psychic environment?  Emotional illness is the second largest “burden of disease” after heart disease

Emotional Well-being  Progress & our emotions  We are “better off” -- but we’re not “happier”  Depression

Emotional Well-being  Six saboteurs of progress & emotions  Stress*  Change  Complexity  Speed  Intensity  Overload

Emotional Well-being  Six saboteurs of progress & emotions  Stress  Change  Complexity*  Speed  Intensity  Overload

Emotional Well-being  Six saboteurs of progress & emotions  Stress  Change  Complexity  Speed*  Intensity  Overload

Emotional Well-being  Six saboteurs of progress & emotions  Stress  Change  Complexity  Speed  Intensity*  Overload

Emotional Well-being  Six saboteurs of progress & emotions  Stress  Change  Complexity  Speed  Intensity  Overload*

Emotional Well-being  Social supports  Pets  Reconciliation  Rest *

Mark 6:30-32 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to Him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, He said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

Emotional Well-being  Laughter  Music  Gratitude  Appropriate expectations

The Social

Social Well-being  Zerrissenheit: torn-to-pieces-hood  Relationships: family, faith, friends  Church is where we live _____ together  Community  tradition, relationships, vision

Social Well-being  The need for Structure  structural, institutional, denominational help  Service  Technology – a mixed record

Social Well-being  Aging, Longevity, Bioethics, and the need for meaning

The Graying of America  What will society do?  The number of seniors will nearly double by 2030  Grandmothers caring for their grandmothers?  No socially or fiscally stable answers have yet presented themselves  The role of the church

The Spiritual

Spiritual Well-being  Faith  Hope

Hope

Spiritual Well-being  Love  Vision  Grace *

Spiritual Well-being  Simplicity  Contentment

Hagar’s Two Rules for Happiness 1. Be content with what you have

Hagar’s Two Rules for Happiness 1. Be content with what you have 2. Always be sure you have plenty

Progress is not enough Pills are not enough If we are ever to be truly healthy, we also need relationships, community, reconciliation, rest, laughter, music, gratitude, service, faith, hope, love, vision, grace, and contentment