Study Finds Online Prayer Helpful to Cancer Patients
A new study indicates that participating in online prayer groups often results in better mental health for the patient. According to Bret Shaw, author of the study, this is the first study that focused on the psychological effects of such behavior:
From a psychological standpoint, there are a variety of reasons why cancer patients may benefit from prayer – whether on the Internet or elsewhere. In reviewing the messages, some of the most common ways study participants used religion to cope with their illness included putting trust in God about the course of their illness and consequently feeling less stressed, believing in an afterlife and therefore being less afraid of death, finding blessings in their lives and appraising their cancer experience in a more constructive religious light.
