Rumours of Grace: Spirituality, religion and mental health
During the past several years I have been
the chaplain in a youth corrections facility. A
large number of youth in the facility are diagnosed
with mental health issues. Since nearly
all the youth become substantially involved
in the chaplaincy programs, I often think
about the relationship between mental health
and faith.
It is a great help to those struggling with mental health challenges that most mental health care professionals no longer regard religious faith as a hindrance to good mental health. In the past, particularly under the influence of Sigmund Freud, psychiatrists and those working in related fields saw religion as a delusion from which it was better to rescue patients.
Today, however, mental health professionals tend to see religious faith in a positive light. Websites such as the Psychiatric Times and the Indian Journal of Psychiatry now say that religion has important mental health benefits.
Actually, they tend to say that spirituality is beneficial while specific religions may or may not be. Mental health researchers and theorists today typically say that they want patients to be spiritual. They say that it is the job of religions to help people become spiritual. Some do this well, and others not so well.
This leads to a number of questions, one of the main ones being whether it is in fact possible to separate religion from spirituality; we often assume that it is. Many of us want to be spiritual, but we are a whole lot let less enthused about any specific religion.
In my experience of working with at-risk youth and troubled adults such an approach is virtually useless and I will provide you with a few reasons why.
Faith in an unseen benevolent world can be crucial when a person is experiencing dangerous times. The world and one’s personal life may look extremely bleak when depression overwhelms the person or anxiety consumes them. But the knowledge that there is a God who loves and exists even if one is completely unable to embrace him for the time being, can serve as a light shining, even if just weakly, in dark times.
A minister, pastor, priest, chaplain or better yet, a community of the faithful living out their faith in action as well as in words, can be a strong anchor for the victim of depression, anxiety, anger or addiction.
The second reason is behaviour. Jesus expressly taught that there must be no judgement. He declared sexual carelessness off limits and he famously commanded us to love all, even our enemies, and to never seek revenge.
He required his followers to work for peace and justice; he taught prayer, patience and courage. He instructed his listeners to avoid excessive acquisitiveness and to depend on God for daily physical needs.
Again, a priest or minister, or better yet, a faithful community, can offer an at-risk individual struggling with mental health issues a template for living that, while highly adaptable, provides direction for how to survive in foster homes, psychiatric wards, group homes, the streets and community college.
The third reason is community. One of the programs I help with is to have youth in custody visit the church of which I am the pastor. At present it is a pilot program; however, the response even at this early stage has been a great encouragement.
Many of those struggling with mental wellness issues have not had much exposure to communities of compassionate and well-intentioned people. Many are infrequently in environments where people are happy, where there is music of praise to God, where there are assurances of forgiveness from past sins, where there are words of encouragement from a podium, where thoughtful prayers are spoken and where there are peers who are seeking to help others.
You will by now have figured out that my take on spirituality is Christian spirituality. To try to promote spirituality as if it is something that can be appropriated without any reference to a specific religion is something others may be prepared to try, but it’s not something I am interested in; it would give me only a vague, un-moored set of values that would have little behind them to compel a troubled person to take them seriously.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
It is a great help to those struggling with mental health challenges that most mental health care professionals no longer regard religious faith as a hindrance to good mental health. In the past, particularly under the influence of Sigmund Freud, psychiatrists and those working in related fields saw religion as a delusion from which it was better to rescue patients.
Today, however, mental health professionals tend to see religious faith in a positive light. Websites such as the Psychiatric Times and the Indian Journal of Psychiatry now say that religion has important mental health benefits.
Actually, they tend to say that spirituality is beneficial while specific religions may or may not be. Mental health researchers and theorists today typically say that they want patients to be spiritual. They say that it is the job of religions to help people become spiritual. Some do this well, and others not so well.
This leads to a number of questions, one of the main ones being whether it is in fact possible to separate religion from spirituality; we often assume that it is. Many of us want to be spiritual, but we are a whole lot let less enthused about any specific religion.
In my experience of working with at-risk youth and troubled adults such an approach is virtually useless and I will provide you with a few reasons why.
Faith in an unseen benevolent world can be crucial when a person is experiencing dangerous times. The world and one’s personal life may look extremely bleak when depression overwhelms the person or anxiety consumes them. But the knowledge that there is a God who loves and exists even if one is completely unable to embrace him for the time being, can serve as a light shining, even if just weakly, in dark times.
A minister, pastor, priest, chaplain or better yet, a community of the faithful living out their faith in action as well as in words, can be a strong anchor for the victim of depression, anxiety, anger or addiction.
The second reason is behaviour. Jesus expressly taught that there must be no judgement. He declared sexual carelessness off limits and he famously commanded us to love all, even our enemies, and to never seek revenge.
He required his followers to work for peace and justice; he taught prayer, patience and courage. He instructed his listeners to avoid excessive acquisitiveness and to depend on God for daily physical needs.
Again, a priest or minister, or better yet, a faithful community, can offer an at-risk individual struggling with mental health issues a template for living that, while highly adaptable, provides direction for how to survive in foster homes, psychiatric wards, group homes, the streets and community college.
The third reason is community. One of the programs I help with is to have youth in custody visit the church of which I am the pastor. At present it is a pilot program; however, the response even at this early stage has been a great encouragement.
Many of those struggling with mental wellness issues have not had much exposure to communities of compassionate and well-intentioned people. Many are infrequently in environments where people are happy, where there is music of praise to God, where there are assurances of forgiveness from past sins, where there are words of encouragement from a podium, where thoughtful prayers are spoken and where there are peers who are seeking to help others.
You will by now have figured out that my take on spirituality is Christian spirituality. To try to promote spirituality as if it is something that can be appropriated without any reference to a specific religion is something others may be prepared to try, but it’s not something I am interested in; it would give me only a vague, un-moored set of values that would have little behind them to compel a troubled person to take them seriously.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
