“Letting go” - Relinquishing control of illness outcomes to God and quality of life: Meaning/peace as a mediating mechanism in religious coping with cancer

Integration of Psychosocial Theory into Palliative Care: Implications for Care Planning and Early Palliative Care

“…In the context of religious coping, placing outcomes in "God's hands" is tantamount to "letting go" of personal responsibility for outcomes based on the belief that God may influence outcomes. There is emerging evidence to support the utility of this form of secondary control that fosters quality of life [24,32].…”

“…Furthermore, mindfulness may be the contemporary extension of letting go [34] in interventions for serious health problems, and some forms of contemporary therapy such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy embody a realistic engagement in life by not being overwhelmed by negative emotions and challenging situations [35]. Thus, "letting go" of long-term outcomes has benefits in terms of quality of life [24,32].…”

“…At the beginning of this process, in addition to medical treatment regimens, the care plan can be centered on immediate need-based palliative care for symptom control and solving immediate problems, whereas disease outcomes (e.g., being cured), especially with the expansion of immunotherapies, may remain relatively uncertain. The emerging research on "letting go" or relinquishing control of outcomes versus assuming responsibility for outcomes seems to point to a number of benefits: better current quality of life, less depression, viewing life as more meaningful and better coping [24,32]. This conceptual framework based on philosophical tradition, modern psychological control theory and religious or spiritual maxims provides an accessible path to navigate through a very difficult time both in terms of exercising agency in managing immediate care needs and reducing distress about uncertain future outcomes.…”

“…With regard to the worry about disease and longevity outcomes, there is mounting evidence that for those who engage in religious coping, turning outcomes over to God, as opposed to taking responsibility for outcomes, may imbue this advanced phase with meaning and peace that promotes physical quality of life [24,32]. Perhaps those whose belief system supports placing outcomes "in God's hands" achieve some solace, because they believe that in that process, there is continuing effort on God's part, which releases them from worrying about outcomes.…”

Religious Beliefs, Practices and Quality of Life among Cancer Survivors: A study on Cancer Survivor from Shaukat Khanam Cancer Hospital Lahore

“…With greater perceived religious support patients integrate their difficulties in ways that may help to promote their quality of life, helping in adjustment with chronic conditions and deal with reality of life among others but this relationship is not uniformly positive as various aspects associated with poorer subjective health (Tang, Li, & Pang, 2020). Therefore, this relationship among religiosity and health conditions of cancer patients is embedded in a multidimensional and complex matrix of varying dimensions with a variety of social, physical and psychological (Merluzzi, Salamanca-Balen, Philip, & Salsman, 2023).…”