PART 1
Health Locus of Control
PART 2
CONCLUSIONS
METHODS
DISCUSSION
APPENDIXES
Regaining Control (laughter is the best medicine and Jesus does cure)
With the multitude of possible stressors, it is ubiquitous that we take action in our health. According to Kiste-Kline, locus of control beliefs related to health are changeable (Bates & Rankin-Hill, 1994, p. 15). This provides hope for those whose external HLC is resultant from a learned helplessness. Anyone who knows me could tell you that "Orange juice and happy thoughts" is my favorite antidote to share with my friends/ family when they (or myself) are sick. The way I look at it, when someone is sick their body is telling them something: they are not giving it what it needs. The orange juice will replace the nutrition lacking in their body, and the happy thoughts will provide nutrition for their mind.
There are as many antidotes to stress as there are stressors. It is up to us to seek them out. Relaxation, leisure, meditation, hobby, time with friends, creative output/ expression, art therapy, etc. are just as valuable assets to us as the work we put in from 9-5. Dr. Cohen says "having many different kinds of social relationships helps to protect against disease." (Brody, 1998, F7). Or it may be as simple as seeing the brighter side of life. We are all familiar with the phrase ‘laughter is the best medicine'. Now there is research to back up the claim. Wooten describes a study in which laughter was found to reduce cortisol levels and increase immune functioning, "off-setting the immunosuppressive effects of stress." A positive influence on health may also be achieved through religion. It may be considered as another extension of social (divine) support. And, of course, stress is only equated into distress by our own appraisals. My condemnation of the Internet transforms into another expressive tool, combining painting, book, radio, motion picture, and telephone.
