are Religious people mentally Ill?

kittyqueen28
Fri, 02 Jan 2009 20:46:44 +0000

I’m going to have to say no. religious people are not mentally ill. I think being able to believe in a higher being allows some people to not become mentally ill, even if circumstances (both nature and nurture) support becoming ill. It allows people to receive comfort. If one believes in karma they can allow life to go on as is even after a disaster. They do not have to spend as much time dwelling on vengeance and rage, which can decrease or circumvent aggression and obsessive thoughts. It may allow them to ‘turn it over to God’ and not internalize (which can lead to a myriad of disorders) anything that may have occurred. Also religion allows people to not feel alone. It is human nature to seek relationships and intimacy. Yet if a person cannot connect with anyone else for any reason there is comfort in being able to talk to God or Mary or to a guardian angel. This can provide reassurance, hence warding off isolation, detachment, depression, or anxiety. Also people who have religious practices often congregate in a group. Often these practices are similar from one place to another (aka if you move from NY to VA, you will still be able to find a catholic church that practices similarly to your home parish). So just the fact of being able to feel a sense of community and interact with other people in any place can alleviate some mental illness, even if you don’t believe a word of the scripture! Although I do believe that religion can ward off illness, it does not exempt anyone from mental illnesses. People who are religious are not guaranteed to be ill (and i think being religious decreases the likelihood of illness) they can be.