My spirituality is now important to me. I read my Bible, I go to a 12-step group, and I have three sponsors. But mostly I pray. Clearly, spirituality can be important to patients recovering from addictions. But it also can be important for patients facing acute, chronic, or life-threatening illness.
Spiritual beliefs demand professional attention.
No longer private, spirituality is a topic that dominates the national media and is a frequent subject in leading medical journals. Rarely has any society experienced such a rapid shift in attitudes. This change suggests that physicians should be prepared to engage patients in discussions of spirituality. Ignoring the sources of ultimate meaning, purpose, richness, and direction in a patient's life places the physician at risk for providing inefficient, ineffective, and unsatisfactory care. Every spiritual and cultural tradition has teachings, practices, and rituals that facilitate healing.