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Is there any positive correlation between social avoidance/distress and spirituality?

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Is there any positive correlation between social avoidance/distress and

spirituality?

Social phobia or social anxiety is a psychological problem that is faced by almost one-

third of the total population of US. Social isolation/ avoidance is an irrational fear in which

people fear to face public and avoid to speak or communicate in public and prefer to remain

socially isolated. Social phobia may include blushing, shivering in voice, trembling hands,

elevated blood pressure, increased heartbeat, excessive sweating, and nausea and in a serious

case over drinking of alcohol. Spirituality refers to an assumed reality; it is an undefined path

which leads a person to his or her inner self. Spiritual practices include meditation and prayer,

the main purpose of which is develop the inner self of a person and produces a more complete

self.

People suffering with social anxiety and social avoidance remain very worried because

they know that they screw up every meeting with any person and they perform extremely absurd

and foolish acts when in public. Before every confrontation they build up their confidence and

continuously remind themselves that they have to remain calm and composed but when the

moment comes all their confidence shatters and their voice starts to shiver and when the meeting

is over they take a sigh of relief and then feel shameful while thinking over their act again and

again. They are always in search of ways by which they can get rid of this problem and

confidently face this world.

There are a number of therapies that are conducted to cure this problem. But this problem

is not like an illness or disease that can be cured in weeks or months. This problem is cured by

extensive treatment and strong will from the patient. The treatment depends upon the severity of

the patient’s condition. Several medications are available to cure this problem but medications
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are only a temporary remedy for this problem. Cognitive behavioral therapy, social training, etc.

are some of the therapies that are carried out for the improvement and betterment of people

suffering from social avoidance and social phobia. Socially anxious people do not need years of

constant therapy and consultation, in fact such therapies worsen the condition. (Haynes, 2006)

After a lot of many researches it has been concluded that religious practices definitely

prove to be very beneficial for people suffering from distress. Religious practices have a positive

association with a person’s psychology. Religious practices and spirituality are somewhat a

similar thing but not identical. Religious practices are more specific to a particular group of

people, more structured and associated with firm beliefs. Spirituality is a concept that is referred

to a being that is not visible and not obvious. It is a more general concept as compared to

religious practices and is not specific for a particular group of people or group of people

belonging to a religion. It is a practice that is practiced by anyone to gain solace and calm. It

refers to any feeling, thoughts or actions that are performed in order to search for the Divine

Creature and the Supreme Being. Being spiritual does not need many requirements whereas if

you are religious you need to fulfill certain conditions and criterion and take responsibility.

(Miller, 2003)

Spirituality correlates with mental health. Mental health includes distress, depression any

sort of fear or phobia like social avoidance, anxiety, isolation and public fear. Spirituality helps a

person to have a positive and hopeful approach and attitude towards life. This helps to increase

the feeling in a person that he is not a looser. People often suffering from social discomfort end

up their life in suicide. It has been observed that being spiritual reduces mortality rates. It

develops in a person a sense of life and responsibility; it makes him realize that his life is also

important for this world and that he is of certain importance and value for this humanity and he
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need not be afraid of the people. It develops in a person the ability to fight his own self and helps

him to overcome his shyness and fear. When a survey was conducted among those people who

are a patient of social phobia it was observed that people who were more inclined towards

spirituality were found more confident as compared to those who relied on therapies and

medicines or were not at all taking any sort of treatment. People practicing spirituality in general

are found to be free of anxiety, nervousness and apprehensions whereas a totally opposite

scenario was found for those who did not get involved in spirituality. (Ellens, 2010)

Spiritual practices like intensive meditation can be performed individually; however it is

found that spiritual practices when performed in a large group or mass prove to be more

beneficial. It has been observed that people attending such ceremonies do not get addicted to bad

and unhealthy habits like smoking, taking drugs, etc. and are seen living more happily, satisfied

with increased social circle and a more healthy life and getting oneself involved in healthier

activities like exercise and daily walk. It is also seen that mortality rate among such people have

also decreased. It helps to induce in a person a feeling of building of community and working for

the welfare and benefit of the people and increasing social support activities. (Park, 2005)

In elderly patients it is generally observed that they are more devoted towards spirituality

and religion. And a very positive effect has been observed that the elderly people who give up

their hope for life and have accepted the fact they are going to die any time, such elderly people

usually cut themselves from the outer world and social communities, they stop all healthy

activities and tend morally die even before their actual death. If such elderly people get

themselves involved in spiritual activities and practices it is observed that the elderly people

recover from their illness and bad health even quicker than the doctor had predicted. Spiritual

practices revive back their life and they no longer lose hope and do not welcome death, instead it
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is found that they become more active in their social activities like building up social

communities, strengthening social network, becoming more lively and happy, getting themselves

in healthy activities like exercise and jogging. After attending spiritual practice groups they tend

to have a more positive and hopeful approach towards life. Their mental condition also improves

a lot by attending such ceremonies. Their outlook for life completely changes and they start

looking to life from a different perspective which is a positive one. Being spiritual increases their

ability to cope up with their illness, mental and physical problems. Most of the elderly people

now rely on getting involved in religious and spiritual activities to keep themselves happy,

healthy and increase their life span. (American Psychological Association, 2009)

Generally in people who are more inclined towards spirituality, such people remain aloof

from habits that become addictions like drinking and smoking. Usually people smoke and get

involved in such activities to get mental relief, solace, and tranquility of mind. They are fed up of

this world and are filled with anguish, anger, anxiety, depression, etc. and in order to free

themselves from such mental conditions they use such techniques like smoking and drinking.

They usually get involved in such activities and consider this is the best solution available

because they are not aware that a much better solution is available which is indeed free of cost

and any compulsion or responsibility- Spirituality. It is observed that an inverse relation exists

between drug addiction and spirituality. Getting spiritual helps you attain peace of mind and

calm. Spirituality is the best medicine for all problems and illness. Once a person gets involved

in spiritual practices he finds that no medicine or therapy in this world is better than meditation

and spiritual practices. He then never returns to these worldly medications and always prefers to

go for the spiritual practices. Addiction is a common problem in the west and it is recommended
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to those people to incline themselves towards spirituality instead of getting involved in

addictions. (Sertillanges, 1954)

In people suffering from cancer or other life taking diseases, it is generally observed that

these patients loose hope and feel themselves neglected and a complete failure. The persons

completely lose their strength, his will power and motivation to recover and be happy. For such

patients generally spiritual ceremonies are conducted so that they again get back to their life. The

distress, anxiety, pain from which they are suffering can be diminished using spiritual activities.

Medications can also minimize such feelings but these medications can have an adverse effect on

the patient and his condition may further detoriate so doctors often prefer to make the patient

more inclined towards spirituality. Being spiritual makes him feel closer to God; he forgets his

pain and anxiety and gets motivated towards life. He then gets encouraged to live whatever time

of his life is left he should spend it happily. He realizes that remaining in a condition of distress

and pain will not improve his condition rather worsen it more. He believes that he should have a

more positive approach toward life and he should get involved in more social activities and

events so that his attention gets diverted from his health conditions. And it is found that people

suffering from cancer and other diseases that ends up in taking life who get involved in spiritual

practices tends to considerably increase their life span and even if their life does not increase

they are no longer suffering from anxiety and pain instead they have a happier approach towards

life and even death and they are no longer fearing death. Once a person does not fear death he

becomes very strong morally and forgets all nervousness and anxiety. (Fontana, 2003)

Both religious and spiritual practices are considered as health resources. They certainly

work wonders in rejuvenating life in heart-broken patients, distressed patients and people who

fear to face the world or public. Researches have been conducted in which a direct path between
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health and mental conditions and spirituality have been searched and examined but no direct path

have been observed. But still spirituality has a positive impact on health and mental conditions

and researches are still being conducted to find the link between spirituality and mental and

health conditions. Spirituality has an innate potential to cure illness and reduce stress and

distress. Since the old times it is a common concept that spirituality is the solution of a number

of diseases that have no cure through medications. Some people have made spiritual norms a

common practice in their life to get themselves rid of mental stress, anxiety, distress, mental

tensions, fretfulness and agitation. And it is observed that such people who make spiritual

practices their routine that they are likely to be more happy, contended, free from tensions or any

sort of illness and tends to live more than people who avoid such practices and norms. People

who are more inclined towards spirituality are found to be emotionally strong as well as

compared to others. (Conn, 1990)

From the above researches and proves it is quite evident and clear that spirituality

certainly has a positive and very effective relation with human mental and health disorders. It is

one of the most effective remedies for any disease and spiritual practices should be made

common in all parts of the world and it should also be adopted by doctors as a cure for those

diseases in which the patient completely loses hope and becomes mentally disturbed and even for

those diseases which do not have any cure through medications. Although broadly speaking it

isn’t a cure for a disease it is a healer and diminishes and minimizes the distressing and painful

condition of the patient. It helps to rejuvenate life in the patient and helps people who are

suffering from shyness and social phobia and fear, to face the world with confidence. It is an

ultimate resource for human health and mental problems. Spirituality and religion should be

made a common practice to make this world a happier and healthier place.
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References

Sertillanges, A. G. (1954). Spirituality. New York: McMullen Books.

Conn, J. W. (1990). Spirituality and psychology. London: The Way.

Fontana, D. (2003). Psychology, religion, and spirituality. Malden, MA: BPS Blackwell.

American Psychological Association. (2009). Psychology of religion and spirituality.

Washington, D.C: American Psychological Association.

Paloutzian, R. F., & Park, C. L. (2005). Handbook of the psychology of religion and

spirituality. New York: Guilford Press.

Ellens, J. H. (2010). The healing power of spirituality: How faith helps humans thrive.

Santa Barbara, Calif: Praeger/ABC-CLIO.

Miller, G. (2003). Incorporating Spirituality in Counseling and Psychotherapy: Theory

and Technique. Wiley.

Haynes, W. F., & Kelly, G. B. (2006). Is there a God in health care?: Toward a new

spirituality of medicine. New York: Haworth Pastoral Press.