Religion and Mental Health

Paola Qosja

Brigham Young University-Idaho

Psych 302

Cynthia Wyman

02/24/2023
 Introduction

We live in a world that is rampant with people suffering from one mental health problem or

another. Previous research has identified numerous ways to treat these mental health issues, all

with varying efficiency and side effects. Another form of therapy that has yet still numerous

aspects to be explored has to do with religion and spirituality, and how it affects mental health

either positively or negatively. After defining religion and spirituality, this work highlights

aspects of religion and spirituality that can be utilized to bridge the gap that exists between said

religion and spirituality and other psychological or psychiatric schools of thought and practices.

While the religious beliefs of mental health patients offer or promise a provision of comfort,

peace, hope and meaning in life, they have the potential to drive them further into the dark abyss

of their mental ailments. We hypothesize that for most, when religious and spiritual beliefs are

integrated into treatment, improvements to mental health are more efficient and enduring.
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