Forgiveness

==Physical health==
[[File:Flickr - DVIDSHUB - Army Reserve 2010 Best Warrior Competition Army Physical Fitness Test.jpg|thumb|Physical fitness]]

Some studies claim that there is no correlation, either positive or negative between forgiveness and physical health, and others show a positive correlation.<ref name="McCullough, Michael 2002">{{cite book|last1=McCullough|first1=Michael|first2=Charlotte|last2=Vanoyen|chapter=The Psychology of Forgiveness|title=Handbook of Positive Psychology|year=2002}}</ref>

===Evidence supporting a correlation===
People characterized by the personality trait of forgiveness tend to experience better physical health. A study focusing on relationships revealed that the level of forgiveness exhibited by individuals had a discernible impact on their physical well-being, regardless of whether they were in positive or negative relationships.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Berry | first1 = Jack W. | last2 = Everett | first2 = L. Jr. Worthington | year = 2001 | title = Forgivingness, Relationship Quality, Stress While Imagining Relationship Events, and Physical and Mental Health | journal = Journal of Counseling Psychology | volume = 48 | issue = 4| pages = 447–55 | doi = 10.1037/0022-0167.48.4.447 }}</ref>

People who decide to genuinely forgive someone also have better physical health. This is due to the relationship between forgiveness and stress reduction. Forgiveness prevents poor physical health and manages good physical health.<ref name="Worthington, Everett L. 2004">{{cite journal | last1 = Worthington | first1 = Everett L. | last2 = Scherer | first2 = Michael | year = 2004 | title = Forgiveness Is an Emotion-focused Coping Strategy That Can Reduce Health Risks and Promote Health Resilience: Theory, Review, and Hypotheses | journal = Psychology & Health | volume = 19 | issue = 3| pages = 385–405 | doi = 10.1080/0887044042000196674 | s2cid = 10052021 }}</ref>

People who choose to forgive another have lower [[blood pressure]] and lower [[cortisol]] levels than those who do not. This is theorized to be due to forgiveness, and suggests forgiveness is an evolutionarily-selected trait.<ref name="Worthington, Everett L. 2004" /> Direct influences of forgiveness include: Reducing hostility (which is inversely correlated with physical health), and that unforgiveness may degrade the [[immune system]] because it puts stress on the individual. Indirect influences are more related to forgiveness as a personality trait and include: people who are forgiving may have more [[social support]] and less stressful marriages, and forgiveness may be related to other personality traits that correlate with physical health.<ref name="Worthington, Everett L. 2004" />

{{See also|Broaden-and-build}}

Forgiveness may also correlate with physical health because hostility is associated with poor coronary performance. Unforgiveness is a sort of hostility, and forgiveness is letting go of hostility. Heart patients who are treated with therapy that includes forgiveness to reduce hostility have improved cardiac health compared to those who are treated with medicine alone.<ref name="McCullough, Michael 2002" />
	
Forgiveness may also lead to better perceived{{clarify|reason=by whom?|date=July 2023}} physical health. This correlation applies to both self-forgiveness and other-forgiveness but is especially true of self-forgiveness. Individuals who are more capable of forgiving themselves have better perceived physical health.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Wilson | first1 = T. | last2 = Milosevic | first2 = A. | last3 = Carroll | first3 = M. | last4 = Hart | first4 = K. | last5 = Hibbard | first5 = S. | year = 2008 | title = Physical Health Status in Relation to Self-Forgiveness and Other-Forgiveness in Healthy College Students | journal = Journal of Health Psychology | volume = 13 | issue = 6| pages = 798–803 | doi = 10.1177/1359105308093863 | pmid = 18697892 | s2cid = 24569507 }}</ref>

People who forgive can have healthier hearts, fewer depression symptoms, and less anxiety. Forgiveness can help mental health especially with people who have mental disorders. Forgiveness can also improve the immune system.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mayo Clinic Staff|date=13 November 2020|title=Forgiveness; Letting go of grudges and bitterness|url=https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/forgiveness/art-20047692|access-date=10 April 2021|website=Mayo Clinic}}</ref>

===Criticisms===
{{expand section|date=January 2016}}
Forgiveness studies have been refuted by critics who claim that there is no direct correlation between forgiveness and physical health. Forgiveness, due to the reduction of directed anger, contributes to mental health, and mental health contributes to physical health, but there is no evidence that forgiveness itself directly improves physical health.

Most of the studies on forgiveness cannot isolate it as an [[independent variable]] in an individual's well-being, so it is difficult to prove [[causation (sociology)|causation]].<ref name="McCullough, Michael E. 2000">{{cite book|last1=McCullough|first1=Michael E.|first2=Kenneth I.|last2=Pargament|first3=Carl E.|last3=Thoresen|title=Forgiveness: Theory, Research, and Practice|location=New York|publisher=Guilford Press|year=2000}}</ref>

Although there is limited research directly linking forgiveness to physical health, there are certain factors{{vague|date=July 2023}} that suggest{{how|date=July 2023}} a potential connection. This is particularly relevant to physiological indicators{{specify|date=July 2023}} and how the process of forgiveness may affect the body's responses in various situations throughout daily life.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last1=vanOyen Witvliet|first1=Charlotte|last2=Ludwig|first2=Thomas E.|last3=Vander Laan|first3=Kelly L.|year=2001|title=Granting Forgiveness or Harboring Grudges: Implications for Emotion, Physiology, and Health|journal=Psychological Science|volume=12|issue=2|pages=117–123|issn=0956-7976|jstor=40063597|doi=10.1111/1467-9280.00320|pmid=11340919|s2cid=473643|url=https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2300&context=faculty_publications}}</ref>

Research into the correlation between physical health and forgiveness has been criticized for being too focused on unforgiveness. Research shows more about what hostility and unforgiveness contribute to poor health than it shows about what forgiveness contributes to good health.<ref name="McCullough, Michael E. 2000" /> Unforgiving or holding grudges can contribute to adverse health outcomes by perpetuating anger and heightening SNS{{Expand acronym|1=in|date=July 2023}} arousal and cardiovascular reactivity. Expression of anger has been strongly associated with chronically elevated blood pressure and with the aggregation of platelets, which may increase vulnerability for heart disease.<ref name=":1" />