ITEMS OF INTEREST July 5, 2010 Issue

ITEMS OF INTEREST

with contributions from Sarah Nightingale, Yonat Shimron

"ABSOLUTELY, THERE'S A LINK between people's grounding in religious or spiritual feelings and their wellness," said Tom McGovern, professor of psychiatry at Texas Tech's Health Sciences Center. McGovern broached the topic recently at the Health Sciences Center's Community Medical School, a series of lectures presented to the public by distinguished faculty.

People use their spirituality to navigate life, McGovern told his audience of about 100. Religious people cope better under stress, heal faster from their illnesses, and experience benefits to their mental health, he said.

"If a person's community is built around a religious or spiritual quest, that can be a powerful mediator of healing," McGovern said.

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