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how the person’s mental health was. What they discovered was that those people who believed that God was

loving and protecting were less likely to experience anxiety related disorders such as worry, fear, self-

consciousness, social anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Developing an intimate relationship with

God allows prayer to feel more personal as if a close friend is listening on to your problems in life. Prayer that

feels comforting, in turn, helps reduce the likelihood of having an anxiety disorder as prayer becomes

therapeutic. The people that prayed to a god that they thought wasn't loving or nurturing were more apt to

have one or more of these disorders. This is because praying to a God that you feel isn't there for you and isn't

listening to your prayers will make you feel insecure about yourself. Why feel happy if you feel that even God

won't listen to you? This unhealthy relationship will make the person feel rejected and can lead to severe

8
symptoms of anxiety disorder.

Above Image: The human brain activity decreases
significantly after meditation. (Red=High Activity,

Blue=Lower levels of activity.)
https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/what-is-the-

placebo-effect#2

Oregon State University found that being religious, which included attending religious services, lead

to a healthier lifestyle. People who practiced religion regularly were found to have lower smoking rates and

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