Handbook of Spirituality, Religion, and Mental Health

David H. Rosmarin, Harold G. Koenig

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2020
• eBook ISBN: 9780128167670
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Psicología
• Subtopic: Psicología clínica

Research has indicated that spiritual and religious factors are strongly tied to a host of mental health characteristics, in both positive and negative ways. That body of research has significantly grown since publication of the first edition of this book 20 years ago. The seconnd edition of the Handbook of Spirituality, Religion and Mental Health identifies not only whether religion and spirituality influence mental health and vice versa, but also how, why, and for whom. Hence 100% of the book is now revised with new chapters and new contributors. Contents address eight categories of mental disorders, as well as other kay aspects of social, emotional, and behavioral health. - Provides an authoritative, comprehensive, and updated review of the research on positive and negative effects of spirituality/religion on mental health - Contains dedicated chapters focused on the relevance of spirituality/religion to mood, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, psychotic, eating/feeding, alcohol/substance use, behavioral addictions, and pain-related disorders, as well as marriage/family life, suicidality, and end-of-life-care - Reviews the research on spiritually integrated psychotherapies, and provides basic clinical guidelines for how to effectively address spiritual/religious life in treatment - Reviews the neurobiology of spiritual/religious experiences as they pertain to mental health - Covers all major world religions, as well as spiritual identites outside of a religious context

Chapter 1

Spirituality, religion, and mood disorders

Bruno Paz Mosqueiro¹, Alexandre de Rezende Pinto² and Alexander Moreira-Almeida², ¹Postgraduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (PPGPSQ UFRGS), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) and Grupo Hospitalar Conceição, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, ²Research Center in Spirituality and Health (NUPES), School of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil

Abstract

There is robust evidence that spirituality and religion (S/R) often predict the severity and course of mood disorder symptoms, particularly depression. Effects of S/R on depression are usually positive (i.e. higher levels of S/R are typically associated with lower levels and better recovery from depressive symptoms). Regarding bipolar disorder, the limited evidence available suggests that S/R resources are commonly harnessed by patients, generally with beneficial effects on suicide and quality of life. One of the main mechanisms proposed to explain these relationships is religious coping: Many individuals cope with stressful life events by turning to S/R, which in turn buffers against mood disorder symptoms. Other mechanisms include social support, sense of meaning/purpose, healthy behaviors, and some research has pointed to positive neurobiological effects of S/R on mood disorders. However, there is also consistent evidence to suggest that certain aspects of S/R can also be a source of emotional stress and strain, and thus predict greater symptoms of mood disorders as well as worse quality of life. Perhaps because of these positive and negative relationships, several studies have showed benefits of appropriately incorporating S/R into treatment of mood disorders. This chapter reviews the literature on S/R and mood disorders, and discussed clinical implications of this body of literature.

Keywords

depression; mania; bipolar disorder; religious coping; psychotherapy

Contents

Outline

• Introduction 1
• Depressive disorders 3
  • Spirituality/religion and depressive disorders 3
  • Impact of spirituality/religion on depression 5
  • Neurobiological correlates of spirituality/religion and depression 11
  • Negative effects of spirituality/religion and depression 12
• Bipolar disorders 14
  • Spirituality/religion and bipolar disorders 15
• Clinical practice 16
  • Assessment of spirituality/religion in mood disorders 16
  • Integrating spirituality/religion in treatment for mood disorders 17
• Discussion 19
• References 19

Introduction

ruly, it is in the darkness that one finds this light, so when we are in sorrow and distress, then this light is nearest of all to us”

(Eckhart, 1327)

The study of spirituality/religion (S/R) and mental health touches upon questions about profound human needs, involving the search for understanding, meaning, and purpose in the face of suffering, and the search for transcendence across different cultures and in different periods of human history.

Mood disorders, encompassing bipolar and depressive disorders, are currently evidenced as very common and disabling mental illnesses, with serious impact to global health. Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects 300 million people in the world and represents the leading cause of mental health–related diseases worldwide (Herrman et al., 2018). Individuals living with bipolar disorders (BD) experience substantial morbidity and impairment, with an even larger impact in young people, being the sixth leading cause of disability among people aged 10–24 years old in the world (Yatham et al., 2018). The World Mental Health Survey Initiative estimates a lifetime prevalence of BD of around 1.0% (bipolar I and II disorders) and a lifetime prevalence of MDD of 12.8% (Kessler & Bromet, 2013; Merikangas et al., 2011).

S/R represent a very important domain for many, probably most, individuals across different cultures and contexts (Koenig, King, & Carson, 2012). The Pew-Review Templeton Survey identified that 5.8 billion people in the world (84% of the world population) reported a religious affiliation, and for those religious unaffiliated (including atheists, agnostics, and spiritual but not religious people), many held S/R beliefs and practices that often constituted important aspects in their lives (Hackett et al., 2012).

Empirical evidence in the last decades consistently identified mainly positive effects of S/R in mood disorders. S/R beliefs and practices are commonly used coping resources to deal with stressful life events or adversities (Pargament, Koenig, Tarakeshwar, & Hahn, 2004). Furthermore, research indicates that S/R is frequently a source of meaning, resilience, strength, connection, and social support, capable of promoting recovery in many people with MDD and BD. Although less often, S/R may also be a source of conflicts and negative coping (Pargament & Lomax, 2013).

Most patients agreed that health professionals should be sensitive and open to their S/R issues in clinical care (VanderWeele, Balboni, & Koh, 2017). The World Psychiatric Association (WPA) Position Statement on Religion, Spirituality and Psychiatry recommends that S/R should be routinely considered in clinical practice, in a scientifically based, compassionate and culturally sensitive approach (Moreira-Almeida, Sharma, van Rensburg, Verhagen, & Cook, 2016). Understanding how S/R beliefs and practices impact mood disorders, and how to address these issues in a clinical practice, constitutes a central ques...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• Dedication
• List of contributors
• Foreword
• Introduction
• Chapter 1. Spirituality, religion, and mood disorders
• Chapter 2. Spirituality, religion, and suicide
• Chapter 3. Spirituality, religion, and anxiety disorders
• Chapter 4. Spirituality/religion and obsessive–compulsive-related disorders
• Chapter 5. Spirituality, religion, and psychotic disorders
• Chapter 6. Spirituality, religion, and eating disorders
• Chapter 7. Spirituality/religion and substance use disorders
• Chapter 8. Spirituality/religion and behavioral addictions
• Chapter 9. Spirituality, religion, and marital/family issues
• Chapter 10. Spirituality/religion and pain
• Chapter 11. Spirituality/religion and end-of-life care
• Index