How Spirituality and Religion affects our

Mental Health
Semester Assignment

UJAAN BHATTACHARYA
ROOM-37
ROLL- 459
PROFESSOR – MAUSAMI DAS NATH
0CTOBER,2023
Table of Contents :

Topic Page No

1. Introduction 3-4
2. Conceptual Framework 5-9
3. Conclusion 10
4. References 11
 INTRODUCTION
What is Spirituality ?
Spirituality is a globally acknowledged concept. It involves belief and obedience to an all
powerful force usually called God, who controls the universe and the destiny of man. It involves
the ways in which people fulfill what they hold to be the purpose of their lives, a search for the
meaning of life and a sense of connectedness to the universe. The universality of spirituality
extends across creed and culture. At the same time, spirituality is very much personal and unique
to each person. It is a sacred realm of human experience. Spirituality produces in man qualities
such as love, honesty, patience, tolerance, compassion, a sense of detachment, faith, and hope.
Of late, there are some reports which suggest that some areas of the brain, mainly the
nondominant one, are involved in the appreciation and fulfillment of spiritual values and
experiences.

What is Religion ?
Religion is institutionized spirituality. Thus, there are several religions having different sets of
beliefs, traditions, and doctrines. They have different types of community-based worship
programs. Spirituality is the common factor in all these religions. It is possible that religions can
lose their spirituality when they become institutions of oppression instead of agents of goodwill,
peace and harmony. They can become divisive instead of unifying. History will tell us that this
had happened from time to time. It has been said that more blood has been shed in the cause of
religion than any other cause. The medieval holy wars of Europe; the religion-based terrorism
and conflicts of modern times are examples. We must remember that the institutions of religion
are supposed to help us to practice spirituality in our lives. They need periodical revivals to put
spirituality in place.

Inter-Relatedness of Spirituality and Religion

Similarity:

Many religious traditions incorporate spirituality as a core component. People within religious
communities often seek a spiritual connection with the divine or explore their inner selves
through prayer, meditation, or other practices.

Spirituality can be a gateway to religion. Some individuals start with a personal spiritual journey
and later choose to embrace a particular religious tradition.
Differences :

Religion typically has a structured set of beliefs, practices, and a community, while spirituality is
often more flexible and adaptable to individual preferences.

Spirituality can exist independently of any religious affiliation. Some people identify as spiritual
but not religious.
 Conceptual Framework

All along, the majority position of Psychiatry has been that Psychiatry has nothing to do with
religion and spirituality. Religious beliefs and practices have long been thought to have a
pathological basis, and psychiatrists over a century have understood them in this light. Religion
was considered as a symptom of mental illness. Jean Charcot and Sigmund Freud linked religion
with neurosis. DSM3 portrayed religion negatively by suggesting that religious and spiritual
experiences are examples of psychopathology. But recent research reports strongly suggest that
to many patients, religion and spirituality are resources that help them to cope with the stresses in
life, including those of their illness. Many psychiatrists now believe that religion and spirituality
are important in the life of their patients. The importance of spirituality in mental health is now
widely accepted. As John Turbott puts it, rapprochement between religion and psychiatry is
essential for psychiatric practice to be effective. The Royal College of Psychiatrists, London, has
a special group on Psychiatry and Spirituality. The American College of Graduate Medical
Education mandates in its special requirements for residency training in Psychiatry, that all
programs must provide training in religious and spiritual factors that can influence mental health.
The World Psychiatric Association recently established a section on psychiatry and religion.
Lukoff et al. proposed that the diagnostic entities of religious and psychospiritual problems
should be incorporated in DSM4 which has been accepted. DSM4, V 62.89 includes three
categories—normal religious and spiritual experiences; religious and spiritual problems leading
to mental disturbances; and mental disturbances with a religious and spiritual context. I
understand that the Indian Psychiatric Society has formed a task force on spirituality and mental
health which is urging the Medical council of India to include taking the spiritual history as part
of psychiatric evaluation. Even so the importance of religion and spirituality are not sufficiently
recognized by the psychiatric community. Religion does not have a place in most of the
psychiatry text books. Only very few psychiatrists make use of religion and spirituality in the
therapeutic situation .
SOME SIGNIFICANT CLINICAL AND RESEARCH FINDINGS

Recent studies show that religious beliefs and practices are supportive to cope with stresses in
life and are beneficial to mental health.Thomas Ashby Wills,Professor of Epidemiology and
population health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine developed a scale that determines how
important is religion to people. This was administered to 1182 children in New York. It was
found that religiosity kept children from smoking, drinking and drug abuse by buffering the
impact of life stresses. Gene H. Brody,a research professor of child and family development at
the University of Georgia, Athens, found that parents who were more involved in church
activities were more likely to have harmonious marital relationships and better parenting skills.
That in turn enhanced children’s competence, self-regulation, psychosocial adjustment and
school performance. Miller et al. made a 10-year follow up study on depressed mothers and their
offsprings and reported that maternal religiosity and mother-child concordance in religiosity
were protective against depression in the offspring. They also reported that low level of
religiosity was associated with substance abuse in the offsprings. J. Scott Tonigan,a research
professor of psychiatry at the University of New Mexico, followed up 226 patients of alcohol
dependence and reported that spirituality predicts behavior such as honesty and responsibility
which in turn promoted alcohol abstinence. Wagner and King conducted a study involving three
groups—one group of patients who had psychotic illness, one group of formal care givers, and a
third group of informal caregivers. The existential needs were the most important for the patient
group, while the other groups considered material needs such as housing and work as more
important. Neeleman and King surveyed the psychiatric practices of 231 psychiatrists in London.
73% had no religious affiliation, 28% had belief in God, 61% believed that religion can protect
against mental illness, and 48% asked patients about their religious practices. Baetz et
al.surveyed 1204 psychiatrists and 157 psychiatric patients in Canada. 54% of psychiatrists
believed in God, 47% asked patients regarding their religious beliefs, and 55% consulted clergy
for the management of patients. Among the patients, 71% believed in God, and 24% preferred
psychiatrists who were religious. In an Australian survey, a large majority of patients with
psychiatric illness wanted their therapists to be aware of their spiritual beliefs and needs and
believed that their spiritual practices helped them to cope better.Mathai and North constructed a
questionnaire, consisting of 5 questions and gave it to 70 parents of children attending child and
adolescent mental health clinic. They reported that majority of the parents believed that spiritual
concerns were important and that therapists should consider their spiritual beliefs in the
management of the problems of the children. In USA, Curlin et al. conducted a study of
psychiatrists and compared them with physicians from other specialities in their religious
affiliations and found that psychiatrists showed less religious affiliations. Several empirical
studies on psychiatrists’ religious characteristics have indicated that psychiatrists are
significantly less religious than the general population, their patients and other physicians. In a
12-year follow up of all articles appearing in American Journal of Psychiatry and Archives of
General Psychiatry, 72% of the religious commitment variables were beneficial to mental health;
participation in religious services, social support, prayer and relationship with God were
beneficial in 92% of citations. Similar findings were reported in a review of the Journal of
Family Practice. In a British epidemiological study, church going and active religion were found
to be protective to vulnerability for depression by Brown and Prudo. In a detailed study on
suicide in Netherlands, Kerkoff [quoted by Sims] reported that there was a decline in suicidal
rate, which was concurrent with a religious revival. A study on the factors in the course and
outcome of schizophrenia was conducted in the Department of psychiatry, Christian Medical
College, Vellore.. It was a collaborative study among three centers—Vellore, Madras and
Lucknow. A two-year and five-year follow up showed that those patients who spent more time in
religious activities tended to have a better prognosis. The above reports strongly suggest that
religious beliefs and practices of psychiatric patients should be given importance. The sense of
hope and spiritual support that patients get by discussing religious matters help them to cope
better. They also suggest that the importance of religion and spirituality is not sufficiently
recognized by the psychiatric community. Mental health workers must take it seriously since
psychiatry cannot afford to ignore the importance of spirituality and religion in psychiatry. Sims
gives two case histories which drives home this fact. One is the case of Jim who suffered from
Korsakov’s psychosis. He was so deteriorated that he mistook his wife for a hat. In the ward,
others considered him as desolate individual. But his behavior in the chapel was normal. In
absolute concentration and attention, he would partake Holy Communion. He did not forget
anything nor did he show any signs of Korsakov’s psychosis. The other patient had chronic
schizophrenia. He used to hear a voice commanding him to jump out of the window. His simple
devout mother had taught him to resist the voice by praying to God. His mind was destroyed, but
the capacity for spiritual life was present. Unfortunately, on the final occasion, he was too late to
pray and he lost his life. Sims makes a comment, “It is unfortunate that we as psychiatrists can be
so crass as to neglect this area of life which is clearly important to many of our patients.”
Andresen, in an editorial, has pointed out that our civilization’s “loss of soul” may cause
psychiatric symptoms such as depression, obsessions, addictions, and violence. She has
suggested that it is the responsibility of psychiatrists to remind the medical fraternity the
necessity of putting back the soul in medical ethics and the fact that spirituality is of vital
importance for the mental health of people.
Spirituality and religion can have both positive and negative effects on mental health, and their
impact can vary from person to person. Here are some ways in which they can affect mental
health:

Positive Effects:

Social Support: Participation in religious or spiritual communities can provide a sense of

Coping Mechanism: Many people turn to their faith as a source of comfort and coping during
times of stress or adversity, which can enhance resilience and reduce anxiety.

Hope and Purpose: Spirituality and religion often provide individuals with a sense of purpose
and hope, which can contribute to a positive outlook on life and mental stability.

Moral and Ethical Framework: Religious and spiritual beliefs can provide a moral and ethical
framework that guides behavior and decision-making, promoting mental well-being.

Negative Effects:

Guilt and Shame: Some individuals may experience guilt or shame if they feel they are not living
up to the expectations of their religious or spiritual beliefs, which can contribute to mental
distress.

Dogma and Intolerance: Extreme religious beliefs or rigid interpretations can lead to intolerance,
discrimination, and psychological distress, both for the individual and others affected by these
beliefs.
Conflicts and Struggles: Differences in religious or spiritual beliefs within families or
communities can lead to conflicts and estrangement, causing emotional distress.

Suppression of Emotions: In some cases, individuals may suppress their emotions or avoid
seeking professional help for mental health issues because they believe that prayer alone will
solve their problems.

It's important to note that the impact of spirituality and religion on mental health is highly
individualized. For some, it can be a source of strength and resilience, while for others, it can be
a source of stress and conflict. Ultimately, the relationship between spirituality, religion, and
mental health depends on a person's beliefs, experiences, and how they integrate these aspects
into their lives. It's important for individuals to seek a balance that aligns with their own values
and needs while also considering professional mental health support when necessary.
 Conclusion
Spirituality and religion can have a significant impact on mental health. Research suggests that
individuals who engage in spiritual or religious practices often experience improved
psychological well-being and overall mental health. Here are some ways in which spirituality
and religion can affect mental health:

Spirituality and religion can provide individuals with a sense of meaning, purpose, and hope,
which can help them cope with stress and adversity. Engaging in religious or spiritual practices,
such as prayer, meditation, or attending religious services, can promote relaxation and reduce
anxiety.Religious or spiritual communities often provide a strong social support network. Being
part of a community that shares similar beliefs and values can foster a sense of belonging and
connectedness, which can positively impact mental health. Social support can provide emotional
comfort, reduce feelings of loneliness, and offer practical assistance during challenging times.

Spirituality and religion can contribute to the development of a strong sense of identity and self-
worth. Believing in a higher power or being part of a religious community can provide
individuals with a sense of purpose and value, which can enhance self-esteem and promote
positive mental well-being.

Engaging in spiritual or religious practices can help individuals make sense of life’s challenges
and find meaning in difficult experiences. This sense of meaning can contribute to increased
resilience and the ability to bounce back from adversity.

Many spiritual and religious traditions promote positive beliefs and values, such as compassion,
forgiveness, gratitude, and altruism. Embracing these values can lead to greater emotional well-
being and improved mental health outcomes.
References:

1. Indian J.Psychiatry
2. Turbott J. Religion, Spirituality ,conceptual ,cultural and personal challenges
3. Verghese A Spirituality on Mental Health