The Belief System and Health

Psychologists generally list one of the most important factors in physical health as BELIEF. Belief influences all voluntary behavior. The only usual difference between the winner and the loser (in life), for instance, is what exists "between the ears"–the belief system. Hence, the adage, "It’s not the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog."

A patient’s attitude is so important to surgeons that many of them will delay a major operation until they become convinced that the patient is reasonably optimistic about the outcome. At the same time, it is important to note that patients can jeopardize their own health care by becoming too optimistic about their health status, which can lead to neglecting that care.

Optimism can be divided into two types, each having differing health implications. The more positive type relates to an individual’s sense of the ability to overcome any obstacle, any challenge that may arise. While this may seem a good start, the more extreme variety may lead to a form of denial, the inability to acknowledge symptoms or threats to well-being.

The other type, the defensive type, not only lacks benefit, but can actually enhance a health risk. Coming from the sense of helplessness, its most severe form can lead to tragic consequences, such as the phenomena of "unexplained" deaths of people who believed themselves in hopeless circumstances. In some cases, for example, persons died after ingesting toxic substances, of which the amounts were often too small even to make them sick.

In addition, numerous studies have shown a marked correspondence between increased health problems and the amount of stress from multiple life changes, such as joblessness, relocation, bereavement, divorce, death in the family, and so forth.

Health effects are much more prominent among persons already having low self-esteem. However, even dramatic events on the good side can have harmful effects on people not expecting them.

The point is that the individual does not always have a realistic grasp in the actual physical condition. Therefore, people generally consider four components in their decision-making process in seeking medical help and following advice: identity, time line, consequences, and cause of the disease. Their perceptions can actually be skewed by existent psychological factors and, principally, their belief systems.

Therefore, beliefs comprise the most influential factors on health. The problem is, the belief system comes from within, and an individual cannot just simply choose to believe. This is where it may become necessary to seek help. At this point, it may be advisable to do so.

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