Here are some benefits of mainstream religion for people with risk of mental illness:
"Mainstream religions, practiced appropriately, provide some protection against mental illness and assistance with recovery."
(King et al British Journal of Psychiatry Vol 202, Jan 2013)
Military veterans with PTSD have benefitted from types of religious motivation (extrinsic-social) in that they have more mild PTSD and less severe depressive symptoms.
There is an inverse relationship between religious belief and suicide, i.e., religion provides some protection against suicide.
The World Psychiatric Association has noted that religion and spirituality reduce the incidence of depression and anxiety.
Belonging to a mainstream religion often leads to earlier detection of mental illness when a member speaks to their minister who can then make an early referral before the illness gets worse.
When religion is very important to a person, they have only 1/4th the risk of major depression. There is also a 90% decrease in the incidence of depression in the children of a depressed parent.
People with a substance use disorder often fare better if they engage in formal religious practices. They have greater attendance at 12-Step programs, have fewer "slips," less drug craving, and better global functioning. Belief in God improves treatment response, is associated with less depression, less self harm, and better psychological well-being in people struggling with a substance use disorder.
Of course, these benefits of religion on mental health do not prove that any particular religion is valid or if any specific dogmas are correct. Such matters are more related to faith and various philosophical perspectives.
Some people think that these health benefits may not be good enough reasons by themselves to join a Church community, but there is a clear psychiatric benefit. Also, there are many other benefits from belonging to a Church, which are beyond the scope of this blog.
Peter M. Hartmann, MD
Psychiatry & Family Medicine
