Kindness and happiness
When we talk about someone being kind, it often refers to someone helpful or inclined to act in ways that bring happiness to others. The words “kind” and “kinship” share the same roots. When we say “we are one of a kind,” we mean “we are part of a bigger group that shares many attributes.” Understanding the roots of kindness and kinship supports our view that to become good communicators, we need to feel connected.
In healthcare settings, “kindness” can sometimes be daunting because interacting with sick individuals often makes us confront our vulnerabilities and weaknesses. As clinicians, reflecting on our emotions during healthcare communications is essential.
Personal psychological well-being is crucial for us to be able to treat patients with kindness, which is why we address communication skills and the individual well-being of clinicians together. They are inseparable. Kindness stems from our connectedness with those around us, enhancing our ability to communicate effectively and compassionately.
A doctor who recovered from a major health episode talks about her experience of delirium and how the reassuring kind words of her treating doctor helped her during recovery
References:
- Fowler J H, Christakis N A. Dynamic spread of happiness in a large social network: longitudinal analysis over 20 years in the Framingham Heart Study BMJ 2008; 337
- Ballatt, John, Penelope Campling, and Chris Maloney. 2020. Intelligent Kindness: Rehabilitating the Welfare State. 2nd ed. Cambridge, England: RCPsych/Cambridge Fowler, James H., and Nicholas A. Christakis. 2008. “Dynamic Spread of Happiness in a Large Social Network: Longitudinal Analysis over 20 Years in the Framingham Heart Study.” BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) 337 (dec04 2): a2338.