Editing Hope (section)

=== Major empirical findings ===
Hope, and more specifically, particularized hope, has been shown to be an important part of the recovery process from illness; it has strong psychological benefits for patients, helping them to cope more effectively with their disease.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Wiles|first1=R.|last2=Cott|first2=C.|last3=Gibson|first3=B.E.|title=Hope, expectations, and recovery from illness: A narrative synthesis of qualitative research|journal=Journal of Advanced Nursing|date=2008|volume=64|issue=6|pages=564–573|url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/|doi=10.1111/j.1365-2648.2008.04815.x|pmid=19120569}}</ref> For example, hope motivates people to pursue healthy behaviors for recovery, such as eating fruits and vegetables, quitting smoking, and engaging in regular [[physical activity]]. This not only helps to enhance people's recovery from illnesses but also helps prevent illness from developing in the first place.<ref name="Enayati 2013" /> Patients who maintain high levels of hope have an improved prognosis for life-threatening illness and an enhanced quality of life.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Simonik|first1=T.|title=Reflections on hope and recovery|url=http://nedic.ca/|publisher=National Eating Disorder Information Centre|access-date=April 20, 2015}}</ref> Belief and expectation, which are key elements of hope, block pain in patients suffering from chronic illness by releasing endorphins and mimicking the effects of morphine. Consequently, through this process, belief and expectation can set off a chain reaction in the body that can make recovery from chronic illness more likely. This chain reaction is especially evident with studies demonstrating the [[placebo effect]], a situation when hope is the only variable aiding in these patients’ recovery.<ref name="Enayati 2013" />

Overall, studies have demonstrated that maintaining a sense of hope during a period of recovery from illness is beneficial. A sense of hopelessness during the recovery period has, in many instances, resulted in adverse health conditions for the patient (i.e. depression and anxiety following the recovery process).<ref>{{cite web |title=How to Spot and Overcome Hopelessness in Recovery |url=https://www.newhoperanch.com/blog/overcoming-hopelessness/ |website=New Hope Ranch |date=July 2021 |access-date=Nov 19, 2022}}</ref> Additionally, having a greater amount of hope before and during cognitive therapy has led to decreased PTSD-related depression symptoms in war veterans.<ref name="Phillips 2012" /> Hope has also been found to be associated with more positive perceptions of subjective health. However, reviews of research literature have noted that the connections between hope and symptom severity in other mental health disorders are less clear, such as in cases of individuals with [[schizophrenia]].<ref name="Schrank et al. 2008" />

Hope is a powerful protector against chronic or life-threatening illnesses. A person’s hope (even when facing an illness that will likely end their life) can be helpful by finding joy or comfort. It can be created and focused on achieving life goals, such as meeting grandchildren or attending a child’s wedding. Hope can be an opportunity for us to process and go through events, that can be traumatic. A setback in life, an accident, or our own final months of living can be times when hope is comfort and serves as a pathway from one stage to the next.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Stern |first1=Adam |title=Hope: Why it matters |date=16 July 2021 |url=https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/hope-why-it-matters-202107162547 |access-date=November 19, 2022}}</ref>

Hope is a powerful emotion that drives us to keep working and moving forward. It gives us the power to survive. In a study conducted by Harvard, Curt Richter experimented with 12 wild rats and 12 domesticated rats. The wild rats, known for their great swimming abilities, survived for only about two minutes when placed in a glass container of water with no way of escape. In contrast, the domesticated rats survived for days.<ref>{{cite web |last=Richter |first1=Curt |title=On the Phenomenon of Sudden Death in Animals and Man |date=July 1957 |url= https://journals.lww.com/psychosomaticmedicine/abstract/1957/05000/on_the_phenomenon_of_sudden_death_in_animals_and.4.aspx |access-date=December 1, 2024}}</ref> Curt attributed this difference to hope. The domesticated rats hoped to be saved from drowning, but the wild rats had no such hope, as they had never experienced rescue.

Curt decided to run another experiment with 12 wild rats. He placed them in water, and when they were about to drown, he took them out and held them briefly, creating an experience of hope. He then returned the rats to the water to observe how long they would tread water. Remarkably, they survived just as long as the domesticated rats—about 60 hours. With hope, the rats went from surviving for 2 minutes to treading water for 60 hours.

Hope is a powerful emotion. It drives us to move faster, further, and longer than we thought possible. But for hope to thrive, it must be anchored in something more powerful than ourselves. The rats had hope that a saving hand would come and lift them out of the water. <ref name=":1" />