Being Forgiving is Good for your Health

The research carried out by CVO Witvliet and colleagues found that forgiveness is good for your cardiovascular system. In the research volunteers were put in a situation that stimulated two different situations following an attack. The first group were asked to imagine revenge, to feed this they were asked to think about the injuries they sustained and the pain they suffered. The second group were invited to forgive the attacker, to tell themselves that he or she is a complex human being like themselves, with their own difficulties. In short they were asked to empathise.

There was no ambiguity in the results. They carried out electrocardiograms and psychological tests. The first group experienced negative results which included a quickening heart rate which was putting pressure on the arteries. The second group who empathized immediately reduced their psychological stress. It is clear that holding a grudge is not good for your health.