Psychiatric Disorders | Christian Medicine

Our Christian Faith and Mental Health

Broken. Alone. Defeated. These are just some of the words used to describe the ravages of mental illness.

Whether it is depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or even psychoses like schizophrenia, good news can be had for the afflicted. Faith works.

It seems like a cliché. The person in utter despair turns to God in prayer and is seemingly healed, born anew. It’s like a cliché from the movies, so much so that eyes roll when hearing about it.

Indeed, the evidence is compelling: our Christian faith offers a vital shield against the storms of mental illness. It not only helps prevent depression and anxiety before they take hold but also provides resilience once challenges arise.

Numerous rigorous studies underscore this truth. For example, a large Canadian study involving approximately 37,000 individuals revealed that those who attended worship more frequently were significantly less likely to develop mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Furthermore, a comprehensive 2012 meta-analysis of 444 studies from the 1960s onward found that 61% reported an inverse relationship between spirituality or religion and depression. These findings make a persuasive case: faith is a powerful ally in maintaining mental health.

In another systematic review that focused on research published between 1990 and 2010 and included all types of mental disorders, 72% of the studies showed an inverse relationship between religion/spirituality and mental disorders. Overall, the studies indicate that the more someone relies on their faith, the less anxiety and depression they experience.

But that doesn't mean the faithful can't develop these serious mental disorders. Depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder are complex conditions. They involve and interact with genetic factors, altered brain chemistry, learned behaviors, environmental influences, and social situations to produce mood disorders. Even the most faithful can fall victim to them in the right circumstances. However, faith can act as a shield and protector, regardless of where believers are.

Even during the ravages of mental illness, researchers have shown that Christian faith plays a key role in recovery, as many turn to spirituality and religion during stressful times. A large percentage of psychiatric patients consistently report that religion was their primary source of comfort. A small study of adults with psychosis found that participants considered Christian religious rituals helpful. In that study, religion was also described as a means of experiencing hope and purpose, both crucial to the recovery process.

Corrigan et al. found that spirituality and religiousness reduced psychiatric symptoms, improved overall management of daily life tasks, and enhanced psychological well-being among those with mental illness. A study focusing on older adults revealed that individuals with an active spiritual practice were 20% less likely to experience depression compared to those without such a practice, even after accounting for socioeconomic and health factors.

Here are some points to remember:

You are never alone! God is with you even through the terrible times. Just like with physical illnesses that one can see, He is with you until the end of time for those afflictions you cannot see. He knows you better than you know yourself and understands the pain you felt.

Mental illness is not a sin. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God. But when Jesus and subsequently Paul speak about sin, never do they speak of sadness or anxiety. These are afflictions, not sins.

Mental illness is not a punishment. Since we all sin, we all deserve punishment. But because of God’s grace and forgiveness, we can accept his spiritual healing if we will only allow Him deep into our hearts. Mental illness is because of the broken world we live in, and not because of some twisted divine revenge.

Submission is the key! Giving oneself completely and wholeheartedly to Jesus Christ is the key. Faith cannot be looked upon as a tool or as a means to an end. Instead, if we focus on devoting our lives to His will rather than our own, we can hope to see the benefits of faith. Still, our walk with Jesus must be the primary goal, not our treatment of mental illness, no matter how difficult our illness might be.

Prayer matters. These studies listed are just a few of the hundreds that show that prayer calms the mind and soul and serves as an antidote to fear and sadness. Use it often to grow your faith, and you will find it heals your mental infirmities as well.

Sources:

Koenig HG. Research on religion, spirituality, and mental health: a review. Can J Psychiatry. 2009;54(5):283-291.

Dein S, Cook CCH, Powell A, Eagger S. Religion, spirituality and mental health. Psych Bull. 2010;34:63-64.

Sullivan WP. Recoiling, regrouping, and recovering: first-person accounts of the role spirituality in the course of serious mental illness. In: Fallot RD (ed). New Directions for Mental Health Services: Spirituality and Religion in Recovery from Mental Illness. Vol 80. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers; 1998: 25-33.

Francis LJ, Robbins M, Lewis CA, Barnes LP. Prayer and psychological health: a study among sixth-form pupils attending Catholic and Protestant schools in Northern Ireland. Ment Health Religion Cult. 2008;11(1):85-92.

Corrigan P, McCorkle B, Schell B, Kidder K. Religion and spirituality in the lives of people with serious mental illness. Community Ment Health J. 2003;39(6):487-499.

Baetz M, Bowen R, Jones G, Krou-Sengul T. How spiritual values and worship attendance relate to psychiatric disorders in the Canadian population. Can J Psychiatry. 2006;51(10):654-661.

Fallot RD. Spirituality and religion in psychiatric rehabilitation and recovery from mental illness. Int Rev Psychiatry. 2001;13(2):110-116

Barman P, Sahaa A, Dakua M, Roy A. Does the intensity of religiosity and spirituality in later life improve mental well-being? Evidence from India. Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging. 2023;35(4):455-475

Koenig HG. Religion, spirituality, and health: the research and clinical implications. ISRN Psychiatry. 2012;278730:1-33.

Bonelli R, Koenig H. Mental disorders, religion, and spirituality 1990 to 2010: a systematic evidence-based review. J Relig Health. 2013;52(2):657-673

Virdee G, Tarasoff LA, McKenzie K, Frederick T, Davidson L, Kidd SA. Exploring the contours of religion and spirituality in creating community: a focus on persons with psychosis. J Community Psychol. 2016;44(8):1081-1087

Ehsan N, Johar N, Zafar F. The moderating role of religiosity among people suffering from depression. Pakistan Armed Forces Medical Journal. 2017;67(5):853-859.

Sign Up For My Latest Blog