Si Quiero Sanar, Debería Perdonar: Una Revisión Sobre el Perdón y la Salud

Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) understands health not only as the absence of disease, but also considers personal well-being. Forgiveness is a concept related to well-being and is generally conceptualized as the reduction of negative thoughts, feelings and behaviors, as well as the increase of positive ones, around the particular person involved or the situation of transgression. At the biological level, it has been linked to markers of lower physiological stress, with brain areas related to the theory of mind, empathy, emotional regulation, and neurotransmitters such as oxytocin and monoamines. It is also associated with better results in mental and physical health, mainly at the cardiovascular level. There are numerous interventions in forgiveness that have shown effectiveness, being the theoretical models with more evidence the Enright model and the REACH model. Given the potential benefits and few risks, the study and approach of forgiveness in clinical practice becomes a possibility that clinicians should consider to eventually reduce discomfort and increase the well-being of patients.