Family doctors say that they are the \u201cnew clergy\u201d and need to know what to do when patients come to them lacking meaning and purpose in life.<\/p>\n
GPs are increasingly seeing patients with complex problems driven by social and emotional difficulties and are growing frustrated by having little to offer other than pills, a study has indicated. They are embarrassed to talk about \u201cspiritual\u201d questions and researchers argue that they need to be comfortable telling people about the importance of community.<\/p>\n
Alistair Appleby, a GP who carried out the study of his colleagues\u2019 attitude to spirituality, said: \u201cThere is an urgent need to recognise the value of community, connection and self-esteem and look at meaning and purpose in life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr Appleby said that Britain\u2019s reluctance to talk about religion publicly had hampered discussion of deeper questions. He began the study because \u201cI felt I was particularly bad at it. There were several occasions when I was with patients when it was fairly clear that I had not made the human connection that they hoped for.\u201d<\/p>\n
Read it all<\/a> (requires subscription).<\/p>\n "GPs are increasingly seeing patients with complex problems driven by social and emotional difficulties and are growing frustrated by having little to offer other than pills' 2\/2 https:\/\/t.co\/MqGNH4YDMr<\/a> #religion<\/a> #medicine<\/a> #UK<\/a><\/p>\n — Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) April 18, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n