We’ll be discussing A Christian Response to Anxiety. I hope you’ll tune in and call in!
Science Supports Theology of the Body: Your Happiness Type is Expressed in Your Genes
The Theology of the Body tells us that each person was made for self donation and that if we want to be happy, we need to make a gift of ourselves. It further tells us that when we treat others, or ourselves, as objects of pleasure, we break down spiritually and emotionally because we are acting in a manner that is inconsistent with God’s plan and our design. This sounds like a lovely theological speculation, but what if it was physiologically true as well?
This week, researchers at UCLA demonstrated that the type of happiness you pursue in life effect your overall well-being on a genetic level. That is not to say that the level of happiness you experience is genetic, but rather the kinds of happiness you seek in life actually effect you on a genetic level.
Researchers discovered that people who, as a matter of habit, chase after “hedonic happiness” (the pleasure that comes from partying, sex, overeating, drinking, etc.) show physical evidence of gene expression that resulted in higher inflammatory response and the lower production of anti-viral and antibodies in their immune cells. This response is similar to the physiological response of depressed or exhausted individuals.
By contrast, people who pursue, as a matter of habit, “eudaimonic happiness” (happiness that comes from pursuing the greater good) show physical evidence of gene expression that resulted in less inflammation and a stronger immune response (i.e., higher production of antiviral and antibodies in their immune cells). This particular pattern of gene expression is associated with better physical well-being and overall good health.
The truly surprising thing was that both groups claimed to feel good. Both groups claimed to be happy and well, but only the people who habitually pursued the greater good experienced the good health–all the way down to the genetic level– that ought to accompany their happiness.
In the words of the researchers…
And while those with eudaimonic well-being showed favorable gene-expression profiles in their immune cells and those with hedonic well-being showed an adverse gene-expression profile, “people with high levels of hedonic well-being didn’t feel any worse than those with high levels of eudaimonic well-being,” Cole said. “Both seemed to have the same high levels of positive emotion. However, their genomes were responding very differently even though their emotional states were similarly positive. What this study tells us is that doing good and feeling good have very different effects on the human genome, even though they generate similar levels of positive emotion,” he said. “Apparently, the human genome is much more sensitive to different ways of achieving happiness than are conscious minds.”
St Thomas Aquinas talked about the “two books” that reveal truth; the “books” of nature and revelation. Something that is true in one “book” cannot be contradicted by the other. Faith and reason should go together. That’s why I’m so excited when I can point to studies that show the clear link between these two sources of truth. Pope John Paul II proposed the Theology of the Body as a vision for how we are to live, but living according to that vision is only good if it can be shown to help us achieve our potential as human persons–as he claims it should. Research like this demonstrates that JPII’s claims hold up not just to theological debate, but scientific investigation as well. The Theology of the Body is not just theological speculation. It’s assertions, particularly the idea that we can only discover God’s plan for our lives and true happiness by making a generous gift of ourselves and living in mutually self-donative relationships, are true on every level, including–as you might expect for a theology of the body–the physical level.
To learn more about how you can increase the happiness in your life, contact the Pastoral Solutions Institute’s Tele-Counseling Service (740-266-6461). You can work with a faithful, professional, Catholic counselor to help you experience more joy in your marriage, family, or personal life.
COMING WED on More2Life Radio–Setting Limits Kids Will Listen To
Coming Wednesday on More2Life: Setting Limits Kids will Listen To: Parenting involves setting limits but kids often push back. We’ll look at how to make rules that kids will respect.
Plus, Tabor Life Institute’s Fr. Thomas Loya will help parents set healthy limits around media and friends.
Call in at 877-573-7825 from Noon-1 Eastern (11-Noon Central) with your questions about making rules your kids will respect.
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Q of the D: (Answer to win!) *What are the hardest rules to enforce with your kids?
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This week’s featured title is: 
God Help Me, These People Are Driving Me Nuts! Making Peace with Difficult People. –Do you have demanding, time-sucking, needy, or nasty people in your life who make your days more difficult than they need to be? God Help Me, These People Are Driving Me Nuts will empower you to set charitable limits, make your needs known, and gain more peace in your life. Practical examples, case studies, and tons of great tips will help you master the art of dealing gracefully with difficult people.
Winners will be announced on air and contacted by FB message following the drawing this THURSDAY, August 1
“What’s that? Post-Abortion Syndrome May Exist…? Nevermind.”
This month, many secular psychologists are having an Emily Litella moment.
Prevailing professional “wisdom” on the link between abortion and subsequent psychological problems is that there is none. The official position of the American Psychological Association is, “Nothing to see here, folks, let’s all just move along shall we?”
Well, things are not quite as clear cut as the APA might like you to believe. First, in 2008, a 30 year longitudinal study of 500 women found that post-abortive women had about a 30% higher likelihood of subsequent mental problems than non-abortive women (the “attributable risk” estimate of 1.5-5.5% is a less reliable statistic that attempts to calculate how much abortion, itself, without considering any other factor, contributes to mental health problems. It is a deceptively small percentage because so many factors influence mental health that almost all such analyses yield very small numbers.)
Now, the July issue of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences describes a review of all abortion and mental health literature between 1995 and 2011. Their findings? Out of 36 studies reviewed, 13 found post-abortive women at higher risk of depression, anxiety, or substance abuse. The review also found that while short-term anxiety and depression were more common among women who miscarried than women who had abortions, longer term anxiety and depression were much more common among post-abortive women than women who miscarried. That makes sense considering that factors surrounding each set of circumstances (i.e., in miscarriage, women are encouraged to grieve. With abortion, women are told they have nothing to grieve. It takes time for the denial to wear off and the emotional disturbance to be recognized.)
The researchers conclude by saying that more research needs to be done. That’s true. It would just be nice if the professional organizations would stop issuing politically motivated statements until all the data is in.
By the way, that incredible silence you hear? That’s the media rushing to cover this story.
Got Milk? Breastfeeding May Prevent ADHD, Study Says.
Researchers found a clear link between rates of breastfeeding and the likelihood of developing ADHD, even when typical risk factors were taken into consideration.
Children who were bottle-fed at three months of age were found to be three times more likely to have ADHD than those who were breastfed during the same period.
The ADHD group was comprised of children that had been diagnosed at the hospital, the second group included the siblings of the ADHD patients, and the control group included children without neurobehavioral issues who had been treated at the clinics for unrelated complaints.
In addition to describing their breastfeeding habits during the first year of their child’s life, parents answered a detailed questionnaire on medical and demographic data that might also have an impact on the development of ADHD, including marital status and education of the parents, problems during pregnancy such as hypertension or diabetes, birth weight of the child, and genetic links to ADHD.
Taking all risk factors into account, researchers found that children with ADHD were far less likely to be breastfed in their first year of life than the children in the other groups.
At three months, only 43 percent of children in the ADHD group were breastfed compared to 69 percent of the sibling group and 73 percent of the control group. At six months, 29 percent of the ADHD group was breastfed, compared to 50 percent of the sibling group and 57 percent of the control group.
I have often argued that much of what is being called ADHD today has more to do with attachment related issues. Healthy parent-child attachment isn’t just a warm-fuzzy psychological bond. It facilitates the development of healthy brain functioning. As I point out here, brain-wise parenting practices such as extended nursing, extravagant affection, prompt responses to infant and toddler cries, and gentle discipline that teaches what to do vs. punishes what went wrong facilitates 8 of the 9 traits associated with mental health. Attachment makes a real difference. It requires a little more from moms and dads but it makes life so much easier in the long run.
Husband Posts Wife’s AMAZING Tantrum on YouTube
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0xR58HS3-A[/youtube]
Believe it or not, I encounter this kind of behavior in marriage therapy all the time.
People seem to think that anger is the gift we give to other people, but it isn’t. Your anger is God’s gift to you, not anyone else. Anger is the emotional response to a perceived injustice. The healthy response to anger is to (1) identify the trigger for the anger (2) take a few moments to pray and think about a possible solution to the problem (3) only then approach your partner by leading with this solution instead of your emotions (e.g., “I know you needed to rotate the tires this weekend, but I really miss going to the lake. Can we look at the calendar and figure out a way to get both done?” VS. what you see on the video. ) Emotions like anger are suppose to draw your attention to the problem and challenge you to identify solutions. They are not for “motivating”
other people to solve your problems for you.
In a CNN interview about this video, the husband stated that he tried to handle things between the two of them for over a year but the wife refused to go to marriage counseling with him–up to and including standing in the front door of the marriage counselor’s office and refusing to go in. (One more reason phone therapy is a great idea. It’s harder for your spouse to avoid it! 😉
So, what do you think? Was the husband right or wrong? Would you ever do something like this? Post your comments below.
And incidentally, if your spouse is driving you CRAAAAAAAZZZZYYY, before you post your video to YouTube, give us a call (740-266-6461). The Pastoral Solutions Institute’s Catholic Tele-counseling Practice can help you heal your marriage.