Spirituality and psychiatry – on their face, they seem to have little in common. However, we are becoming more aware of how those aspects of spirituality can benefit mental health. Now, what is spirituality, and how is spirituality connected to your mental health? Let’s find out:
What is spiritual wellness?
Each person defines spiritual wellness differently. Still, the concept generally refers to one’s:
- Sense of purpose
- Meaning of life
- Relationship with other people
- Self-awareness of these things
Many people define spirituality in terms of religious values. Others find spirituality in personal relationships or nature. The AAEP agrees and believes that living a professional life full of meaning, purpose, and wealthy and powerful relationships with others is necessary and intrinsic to being an equine veterinarian in all cases.
Spiritual wellness gives us faith, beliefs, values, ethics, rules, and morals. Volunteerism, social contributions, belonging to a community, friendship, optimism, forgiveness, and expressions of compassion are all examples of healthy spiritual practices. Spiritual wellness enables one to live a life consistent with one’s own beliefs and moral systems while also establishing a sense of purpose and finding meaning in life events.
Spirituality and Mental Health
At first glance, religion may have seen little or no impact on mental health. However, there are a variety of spiritual practices that can improve your mental health, including:
- Spending time to deep meditation, prayers, or self-reflection
- Taking part in symbolic practices, rituals, and other forms of worship
- Following activities such as Tai Chi, yoga, and other disciplined practices
- Creativity expressed by painting, cooking, sculpture, gardening, and other related activities
Spirituality is extremely personal. And it involves finding quiet moments for meditation, learning spiritual materials, etc. Some spiritual practices come from different religions all over the world. Many mental health services and therapies have a spiritual element that is not specific to any religion.
People seeking spiritual healing from mental health issues may also require the following:
- Time and privacy to worship and pray
- An opportunity to explore their spiritual concerns
- In some cases, forgiveness
- Encouragement to practice and strengthen their faith
- Reassurances that the psychiatrist will value their faith
Why is spirituality worth pursuing?
Plenty of studies have shown that spirituality is connected to your mental health with your happiness. Researchers discovered that positive spirituality connected to your mental health is linked to recovering from cancer, stroke, spinal injury, and traumatic injury. According to one study, despite variations in practices and beliefs among the world’s major religions, spirituality often improves health regardless of a person’s faith. Spirituality improves mental health primarily by:
- Reducing feelings of loneliness
- Enabling us to weather life’s vicissitudes with greater resilience
One view on spirituality is that it helps people recognize the meaning of life. Spirituality, since it incorporates various practices that are beneficial to both the body and the mind, may provide people with mental health benefits:
Helps improve self-esteem and self-control
Spirituality helps people improve their self-esteem, confidence, and self-control. It gives a person a sense of self-empowerment. Also, it strengthens their connection to what they believe. And it makes them accept others regardless of their spiritual beliefs.
Develops a sense of community
People who share similar spiritual or religious beliefs may form a sense of community. Spirituality can bring people with common belief systems together to form a community. Being a member of organized religion may provide people with a source of social support. The community promotes social interaction and trustworthiness, which benefits individuals’ mental health.
Encourages mindfulness
Self-reflection and meditation are also associated with spirituality. There are healthy practices that have a positive impact on a person’s mental state. As a result, one feels more connected to others and leads a more meaningful life. Moreover, spiritual practices induce expression in poetry, myths, sculpture, or religious practices.
Develops a unity with their surroundings
Spirituality can help people connect with their surroundings. As a result, people are more aware of and appreciate their physical environment.
Furthermore, spiritual teachings emphasize the importance of doing the right thing. They cultivate in people the values of forgiveness, gratitude, and compassion, which help them cope with challenges.
Calms a person’s mind
Spirituality can play an important role in relaxing a person’s mind and positively influencing them. Spirituality or religion may help in the reduction of stress and anxiety. For example, religious rituals or activities can help create structure, predictability, and consistency. This can be beneficial to people going through difficult times. These activities can help calm a person’s mind and encourage them to take a step back and cope with stress and anxiety.
How is spirituality connected to your mental health?
Many decisions are influenced by spirituality. It helps people to develop better relationships with themselves, others, and the unknown. Spirituality can help you deal with stress by providing you with a sense of self, healing, and forgiveness. It is often more important during periods of emotional stress or illness.
Spirituality has a positive impact
Spirituality can help your mental health in a variety of ways:
- You may have a stronger sense of self, peace, hope, and meaning
- You may feel much more confident, self-esteem, and self-control
- It can help in making sense of your life experiences
- When you are sick, it can help you feel more inner strength, resulting in a faster recovery
- Those who are part of a spiritual community may have more support
- You should focus on improving your relationships with yourself and others
Many people suffering from mental illnesses find hope by speaking with a religious or spiritual leader. Some mental disorders can be viewed as times in which people question their value or purpose in a way that leaves them feeling negative. Incorporating spirituality into the treatment of mental health difficulties can be extremely beneficial.
Negative impacts of spirituality
Some people can take advantage of emotionally unstable people while pretending to support their spirituality. If you’re emotionally vulnerable, you’re more likely to be easily convinced to engage in unhealthy activities.
Spirituality and Treatment of Mental Health Conditions
Spirituality can treat mental health problems by a psychotherapeutic method known as Spiritually Augmented Cognitive Behavior Therapy. This process includes spiritual values in cognitive behavior therapy.
It focuses on four key sections:
- Acceptance
- Hopes
- Obtaining meaning and purpose
- Forgiveness
This type of therapy examines unavoidable aspects of life, such as birth and death. It then explores how you can deal with these unavoidable areas of life. Finally, the focus is on finding divine purpose.
The following are the main techniques used during this process:
- Empathetic listening
- Emotional expression encouraged
- Problem-solving
- Use of meditation, prayer, rituals, and monitoring the impact of beliefs on symptoms
Improve your spiritual well-being
As you take steps to promote a healthy mental state, it is important that you also take care of your spiritual health. Different methods work with different people in different ways. You should do whatever makes you feel the most comfortable and happy. Some ways to improve your spiritual health include:
- Find out what makes you feel at peace, loved, powerful, and connected.
- Dedicate a part of the day to community service.
- Read inspirational books.
- Try meditating.
- Take a walk outdoors.
- Pray – alone or with a group.
- Practice yoga.
- Play your favorite sport.
- Dedicate quiet time to yourself.
The Bottom Line
As part of any mental health assessment, a spiritual health assessment is sometimes necessary. Depression and substance abuse may be signs of a spiritual void in your life. Understanding the difference between a spiritual crisis and a mental disorder is important for getting to the bottom of the problem.
