Study shows what an 8-minute conversation with a loved one can do during illness—it's more powerful than one can imagine
Having loved ones who are terminally ill can make one feel helpless and guilty. As much as we wish to get them back to health immediately, there’s not much we can do for them. While we should trust the work the medical professionals do with their knowledge and expertise, there is something more we can offer on our part, per AISH. A recent study from the Journal of General Internal Medicine revealed that an effective conversation can have a life-changing difference in the recovery process. With certain factors to take into consideration, it was revealed that if done right, this simple, consistent, small conversing practice can become more powerful than one might imagine.
A gastroenterologist shared how, when he suffered from severe joint pain for around nine years, he became miserable. Unable to move around, he was forced to remain in his room for way longer than he wanted. Soon, it was not just the physical pain that seemed to burden him but also loneliness, anger, depression, and other emotional wounds. When he reflected on his dilemma, he realized that as a medical professional, he had been ignorant of his patients’ mental health and well-being. He recalled how he’d conduct visits as quickly as possible, being very clinical and impersonal about it. They, too, must have felt as miserable as he did when he was chronically ill.
The study revealed that the clinician's posture towards a patient can greatly impact their well-being. There were fourteen studies conducted wherein patients were observed, and the clinician's posture by their bedside was noted. Ten of the studies found that at least one patient had a more favorable outcome with the clinician speaking at eye-level. Patients want nothing more than to heal and get rid of the pain and inconvenience. However, while the entirety of it isn't in anyone's hands, getting them through the journey with support and kindness makes a difference. To sit at eye-level, speak to a bedridden patient, and make them feel involved gives them something to look forward to.
You don’t need hours, just eight minutes. Because communication is so vast and profound, even eight minutes are powerful. In a blog published by Psychiatric Times, Dr. Susan Noonan, a physician consultant and Certified Peer Specialist in the Department of Psychiatry at McLean Hospital and the Massachusetts General Hospital, shared that the 8-minute phone call practice is one she was inclined to. She noted that it’s simple and easy to do. “Eight minutes is not unrealistic in a busy schedule and it’s certainly doable,” she noted. Another study published by JAMA Psychiatry revealed empathy-driven conversations showed a difference in reducing loneliness, depression, and anxiety.
The study consisted of 240 adults who received a 4-week empathy-oriented telephone program. Younger people would be trained to speak to them via calls over the 4-week duration. After the period, it was revealed that the group reported improved mental health along with reduced loneliness, depression, and other chronic mental health conditions. You don’t need long; just eight minutes makes a marked difference. If there’s nothing you can give to your chronically ill loved one, then at least give them your time and communication.
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