Dr. Luskin of Stanford University is studying how forgiveness can help people become healthy. The 150 volunteers who have taken part in the Stanford Forgiveness Project say that letting go of the hurt caused by other people or by forces they see as being outside themselves say that it is not just one of the greatest emotional stress relievers; they feel better physically, as well.
“Getting angry and needing to forgive are things universal phenomena, but the skills to forgive are inadequately taught.”
Holding on to anger for too long can obviously affect a person’s emotional health. But hanging on to that anger, Dr. Luskin says, can also seriously affect people’s physical health.
He cites several studies that show how anger can affect the cardiovascular system by adding to a person’s general level of stress. Other studies have indicated that patients who have had heart attacks have been able to improve their physical health by practicing forgiveness and working to feel more tolerant and less angry.
Additionally, Dr. Luskin says, when the body releases certain enzymes during anger and stress, cholesterol and blood pressure levels go up, not a good long-term position to put the body in. Forgiveness has been shown to lower blood pressure naturally.
How to Relieve Stress with Forgiveness
I began to think about forgiveness yesterday when I was at lunch in Laguna Beach with my family. We were discussing teachers that have angered us, and I told the story of Mrs. Hayons (or something like that), my high school child development teacher. We had to write a research report on something to do with pregnancy, and I chose cravings.
When I got the report back, I got an A+, but underneath it she had written “If you really wrote this yourself.”
I genuinely still feel annoyed when I think about this. Not just at her for being so patronizing (funny how I turned out to be a health writer) but also at myself for not walking out of the classroom and heading straight for the principle’s office, or at least telling my parents so they could have pulled her up on it.
Even though this isn’t a deep dark anger inside, even as I write this, I can feel a slight feeling of annoyance and tightness in my chest.
So today I am officially forgiving Mrs. H (whatever her name was) for being a very disempowering teacher, and myself for not being more open and strong. I let go of all negative emotions attached to this experience, and will enjoy the improved emotional and physical health benefits that this will bring me.
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