Relationship between Mental Illness and Religion

Mental Illness and Religion
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1 Discuss the relationship between mental illness and religion.
Religion is an important aspect that must be understood when examining mental health issues. It should be tackled together with spirituality since both are connected and often misunderstood as the same entities. Religion refers to normative beliefs and customs, which are typically related to rituals and ceremonies. Moreover, it utilizes symbols that reflect transcendence to the supreme power or the ultimate truth and reality. By contrast, spirituality deals with a deeper understanding of oneself, as the circumstances in one’s life are associated with one’s more excellent value as a human being. This is related to the sense of belongingness and acceptance of an individual (Behere et al., 2013). This refers to the ultimate quest of finding the answers to questions about the meaning of life. Since there are many religions, spirituality in religion should be more emphasized than religion alone when assessing mental health problems (Park et al., 2012).
Both concepts have a positive effect on mental health. Both enhance the individual’s ability to tolerate stress by clinging to the space created by the beliefs or rituals or by analyzing one’s purpose. Religion does this by increasing the individual’s connection with the other members of their congregation, and this provides hope by feeling a sense of belongingness and trustworthiness. The rituals help people cope with various stresses, which are usually the principal factors that result in several mental health illnesses. It also recognizes life lessons and dampens the adverse effects of negative situations in life. Conversely, spirituality focuses on the individual’s self-empowerment, increasing the acceptance of oneself, mindfulness, and unity with the surroundings (Greenstein, 2016).
Religious factors play a role in some mental health illnesses such as depression. Research has shown that this is more prevalent in less religious than in more religious people. Moreover, religious individuals who suffer from depression have faster recovery than non-religious people. It has also been stated that religion is related to an increased propensity to obsessive personality traits. This results in a more profound sense of well-being, positively implicating one’s ability to cope with traumas. In turn, excellent cop...