Why do some people suffer depression from their affiliation to religion?
By Jocheb Quarshie
Depression is an issue with wide interest not only for the extreme consequences of untreated depression, which may include suicide but for the more common emotional distress individuals may suffer. The treatment of certain mental health conditions for a long period of time has at times been in the domain of religion and religious leaders. This caused some individuals to suffer the distress of being in that state from the leaders and people of the religion and not only from the illness or condition. As a result, one would say religious affiliation tends to influence the mental state of an individual. While lots of people associate depression with physiological and neurological factors, in this blog, I will particularly explore the influence of religion on depression.
When conflicting thoughts about religious practices are raised, we are hit with the impression that some questions are best left unasked and unanswered. There have been instances where mental illness has been deemed treatable solely through prayer and divine intervention, rather than the actual illness it is.
For a long time, religion applied doctrines rooted in religious wisdom to account for a wide range of worldly phenomena when science wasn’t advanced. It gave a sense of purpose to the universe and cleared the uncertainty of the mind. Some may argue that religion has done more good than harm, others may argue otherwise and others, neutral. But in all, it made us who we are. Trying to break the limitations set for us by our various practices sometimes feels like disrespect. It even at times comes off us sinning, but knowing breaking the limitation is necessary for our personal growth, we get stuck and start to feel like we’re being selfish. Many individuals experience cognitive dissonance when they realize that science and/or logic conflicts with specific religious practices. In that state, we begin to feel alone because our thoughts are shut down when we try to voice them out. However, it is worth being mindful that not all religions conflict with science and psychology. The limitations some religious practices hold on an individual sometimes affect the mental state of health of that individual.
According to research on Religion, Spirituality, and Mental Health by Koenig (2009), before the year 2000, over 100 studies investigated the relationship between religion and depression. Two-thirds found that those who were more religious experienced significantly lower rates of depressive disorder or fewer symptoms of depression. In contrast, out of 34 studies that did not find this association, only 4 found that being religious was significantly linked to more depression. Additionally, among 22 studies that tracked participants over time, 15 found that greater religiosity at the beginning of the study predicted fewer symptoms of depression or faster recovery from depression at the end of the study. Though this is a great result of religion a contrary effect has been experienced by quite a number of people.
Some religious groups preach about loving everyone but then discriminate generally on who they love. The religious group supposedly is a haven for everyone, but the discrimination against others leaves them feeling lonely which later leads to depression. Bob is gay. He is a very good man and has been religious since birth. Everyone in the church liked him because of his active involvement in church activities. Everyone adored him. All the love and affection from members of his religious group stopped on the faithful day he openly spoke about his sexuality. Members condemned him to hell. He was stripped of all duties in the church. Once a group that gave Bob a purpose to life is now a threat to his living. He became very lonely as no one wanted to be his friend. No one wants to associate themselves with a sinner. Loneliness and the loss of sense of belongingness as a result of not conforming to something that contradicts an individual’s personal aspirations, the social rejection can take a toll on mental and physical health. (Greenberg et al., 2015). What happened to "...and the greatest of all is love"- (1Cor 13:13) and "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God"- (Rom 3:23). Growing up in religion, there’s an inoculation of beliefs, practices, and doctrines, but as you get older, you realize how the majority of the members practice otherwise, then you begin to question your sanity.
One point of criticism voiced by several religious factions is that therapy they say is a way to drain you of your money and time, but I would testify otherwise. Raised in religious beliefs, I sometimes felt limited in the expression of myself and some life-fulling desires. There was a moment of contradiction when I moved to the States and realized how the practice of Adventism here is different from my home country. I started to question literally everything about life, from issues related to an individual to society and mankind. I needed someone with a non-biased viewpoint. Consulting a therapist helped me to deal with the problems and uncertainties that arose from my religious convictions.
Depression can stem from various things, including religion. While religion can have a significant impact on one’s life, it is important to consider how it may affect an individual’s mental health. It is worth noting that religion and logic can coexist, and individuals have the freedom to reevaluate their beliefs in relation to various groups.
References
Rettner, R. (2015, September 23). God help us? how religion is good (and bad) for mental health. LiveScience. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://www.livescience.com/52197-religion-mental-health-brain.html
Koenig, H. G. (2009). Research on religion, spirituality, and Mental Health: A Review. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 54 (5), 283-291. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/070674370905400502
Dein, S. (2010, January 10). Religion, Spirituality, and Mental Health. Psychiatric Times. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/religion-spirituality-and-mental-health
Greenberg, J., Schmader, T., Arndt, J., & Landau, M. J. (2015). The need to belong. In Social Psychology, The Science of Everyday Life (3rd ed., pp. 508–511). Essay, Worth Publishers.