Health: Health: The Emotional, The Emotional,

Social, Social, and Spiritual and Spiritual

ParadigmsParadigmsRichard A. Swenson, MDRichard A. Swenson, MD

April 9, 2005April 9, 2005

An Integrated An Integrated Understanding Understanding

of Healthof Health The 90/10 principle:The 90/10 principle:

Ninety percent of the indices Ninety percent of the indices that determine whether we that determine whether we

are healthy or ill are not are healthy or ill are not influenced by the medical influenced by the medical

paradigmparadigm

In other words . . .In other words . . .

All the doctors, hospitals, and All the doctors, hospitals, and pharmaceuticals influence pharmaceuticals influence only only ten percentten percent of our of our wellness or illnesswellness or illness

Yet this Yet this ten percentten percent is costing is costing us $1.9 trillion/year . . .us $1.9 trillion/year . . .

. . . and rising rapidly. . . and rising rapidly

Health Care Costs

1900 1950 2000

$1 trillion

$3.4 trillion

What should we do?What should we do?

Work on the Work on the ninety percentninety percent by by developing an integrated developing an integrated understanding of healthunderstanding of health

THIS IS WHERE THE THIS IS WHERE THE CHURCH COMES IN!CHURCH COMES IN!

The Church and The Church and HealthcareHealthcare

HistoryHistory Center of communityCenter of community Faith = Health Faith = Health (1200 studies)(1200 studies) Preexistent, natural Preexistent, natural

synergiessynergies

Preexistent Natural Preexistent Natural SynergiesSynergies

Parish nursesParish nurses Church-based clinicsChurch-based clinics Group visits with shared diagnosesGroup visits with shared diagnoses Hospital visitsHospital visits Post-surgery carePost-surgery care Meals during sicknessMeals during sickness Respite careRespite care Retirement homes, Assisted living, Retirement homes, Assisted living,

Nursing homesNursing homes

Preexistent Natural Preexistent Natural SynergiesSynergies

Hospice, Death and dyingHospice, Death and dying PrayerPrayer Social supportsSocial supports Group accountabilityGroup accountability Care for the poorCare for the poor Help for uninsuredHelp for uninsured Lifestyle disease intervention with Lifestyle disease intervention with

accountabilityaccountability Bioethical standards Bioethical standards Alternative medicine possibilitiesAlternative medicine possibilities

Beyond the Physical Beyond the Physical Paradigm…Paradigm…

The EmotionalThe Emotional The SocialThe Social The SpiritualThe Spiritual

The EmotionalThe Emotional

Do we live in a deteriorating Do we live in a deteriorating psychic environment?psychic environment?

Emotional illness is the Emotional illness is the second largest “burden of second largest “burden of disease” after heart diseasedisease” after heart disease

Emotional Well-beingEmotional Well-being

Progress & our emotionsProgress & our emotions We are “better off” -- but We are “better off” -- but

we’re not “happier”we’re not “happier” DepressionDepression

Emotional Well-beingEmotional Well-being

Six saboteurs of progress & Six saboteurs of progress & emotionsemotions Stress*Stress* ChangeChange ComplexityComplexity SpeedSpeed IntensityIntensity OverloadOverload

Emotional Well-beingEmotional Well-being

Six saboteurs of progress & Six saboteurs of progress & emotionsemotions StressStress ChangeChange Complexity*Complexity* SpeedSpeed IntensityIntensity OverloadOverload

Emotional Well-beingEmotional Well-being

Six saboteurs of progress & Six saboteurs of progress & emotionsemotions StressStress ChangeChange ComplexityComplexity Speed*Speed* IntensityIntensity OverloadOverload

Emotional Well-beingEmotional Well-being

Six saboteurs of progress & Six saboteurs of progress & emotionsemotions StressStress ChangeChange ComplexityComplexity SpeedSpeed Intensity*Intensity* OverloadOverload

Emotional Well-beingEmotional Well-being

Six saboteurs of progress & Six saboteurs of progress & emotionsemotions StressStress ChangeChange ComplexityComplexity SpeedSpeed IntensityIntensity Overload*Overload*

Emotional Well-beingEmotional Well-being

Social supportsSocial supports PetsPets ReconciliationReconciliation RestRest**

Mark 6:30-32Mark 6:30-32

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

Emotional Well-beingEmotional Well-being

LaughterLaughter MusicMusic GratitudeGratitude Appropriate expectationsAppropriate expectations

The SocialThe Social

Social Well-beingSocial Well-being

Zerrissenheit: Zerrissenheit: torn-to-pieces-torn-to-pieces-hoodhood

Relationships: family, faith, Relationships: family, faith, friendsfriends

Church is where we live _____ Church is where we live _____ togethertogether

CommunityCommunity tradition, relationships, visiontradition, relationships, vision

Social Well-beingSocial Well-being

The need for StructureThe need for Structure structural, institutional, structural, institutional,

denominational helpdenominational help ServiceService Technology – a mixed recordTechnology – a mixed record

Social Well-beingSocial Well-being

Aging, Aging, Longevity, Longevity, Bioethics, and Bioethics, and the need for the need for meaningmeaning

The Graying of The Graying of AmericaAmerica

What will society do?What will society do? The number of seniors will nearly The number of seniors will nearly

double by 2030 double by 2030 Grandmothers caring for Grandmothers caring for theirtheir

grandmothers? grandmothers? No socially or fiscally stable No socially or fiscally stable

answers have yet presented answers have yet presented themselvesthemselves

The role of the churchThe role of the church

The SpiritualThe Spiritual

Spiritual Well-beingSpiritual Well-being

FaithFaith HopeHope

HopeHope

Spiritual Well-beingSpiritual Well-being

LoveLove VisionVision GraceGrace**

Spiritual Well-beingSpiritual Well-being

SimplicitySimplicity ContentmentContentment

Hagar’s Two Rules for Hagar’s Two Rules for HappinessHappiness

1. Be content with what 1. Be content with what you haveyou have

Hagar’s Two Rules for Hagar’s Two Rules for HappinessHappiness

1. Be content with what 1. Be content with what you haveyou have

2. Always be sure you have 2. Always be sure you have plentyplenty

Progress is not enoughProgress is not enoughPills are not enoughPills are not enough

If we are ever to be truly If we are ever to be truly healthy, we also need healthy, we also need relationships, community, relationships, community, reconciliation, rest, laughter, reconciliation, rest, laughter, music, gratitude, service, faith, music, gratitude, service, faith, hope, love, vision, grace, and hope, love, vision, grace, and contentmentcontentment