Spirituality may protect against substance misuse
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- Reviewed by Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
analysisJAMA PsychiatryReviewing 55 long-term studies conducted over 21 years that involved 540,712 adults, researchers examined how participants' self-reported misuse of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and illicit drugs correlated with their spiritual activities. These were defined as any practice, religious or otherwise, through which someone finds meaning, purpose, and connection to something greater than themselves.
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About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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