Depression is a prevalent mental ailment that, together with anxiety, is the biggest cause of non-fatal disease burden worldwide. Antidepressant drugs and various psychotherapeutic techniques are currently recommended treatments for depression. Many patients, however, endure negative side effects from antidepressant medication, while access to psychotherapy therapies is limited. This is especially true for people who are depressed to a moderate degree. Many people who are depressed seek help from complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), which includes spiritual healing. There is some evidence that seeing a spiritual healer can help patients who are depressed, and that spiritual healing is related with a decreased risk of death. The goal of this study is to conduct a pilot RCT (spiritual healing in addition to normal care versus usual care alone) in adults with moderate depression in order to assess the feasibility and individual experiences of spiritual healing.
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This is a pilot randomized controlled experiment (RCT) with two groups working in parallel. A total of 28 adult patients with moderate depression as defined by the M.I.N.I. PLUS DSM-V criteria will be randomized to either spiritual healing plus usual care (n=14) or usual care alone (n=14). Ten spiritual healing therapy sessions (45-60 minutes each) will be delivered as an addition to usual care and compared to usual care alone. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Montgomery and Sberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) will be used to assess depression symptoms at baseline, week 8, and week 16, as well as at 6 and 12 months after enrollment in the trial. A qualitative study using a phenomenological hermeneutical method and semi-structured interviews will be included to investigate participants' experiences with spiritual healing.
Can spirituality cause depression?
Similarly, some study suggests that some spiritual or religious activities can improve the mental health of those suffering from depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, or schizophrenia, and we'll look at that data today.
Can spirituality help anxiety?
Spirituality, as previously stated, is beneficial during difficult or stressful times. Tuning into your spiritual self can help you put your stress in perspective and focus on the positive when you're pressured at work, in your relationships, or at home. Engage in a spiritual practice of your choice the next time your stress levels rise. You can try meditating, going for a walk in the woods, or reading a book.
How can I reduce my spiritual anxiety?
3. Your attitudes and habits will automatically change for the better.
According to Bourne, spiritual practices such as praying, meditating, attending a religious service, or simply spending time in nature can help you experience good changes in your thoughts and behaviors, which can help you overcome anxiety and depression.
Spiritual disciplines like prayer and meditation, for example, can help you recognize and differentiate from the knee-jerk emotional reactions we all have. You learn to listen to the silent part of yourself that knows what the best course of action is at any particular time. You realize that sometimes the best thing to do is accept your current situation and do nothing for a while.
Other adjustments are possible. You can come to the realization that you don't have to be flawless to be appreciated. “God doesn't make garbage,” as the old saying goes. Or maybe you've come to terms with your own inherent goodness (Buddhists call this “Buddha nature”). In actuality, what you really need to do is clear away the uncertainty so that your true nature may come through.
(Please understand that I am not endorsing any one religion or spiritual path.) It doesn't matter what works for you.)
4. Your perspective on “the problem” shifts.
When you see your life through the lens of a spiritual path, issues become opportunities for growth and learning rather than obstacles. You come to feel that you are always exactly where you need to be. When you face setbacks or problems, I don't expect you to leap up and down with excitement. However, if your initial gut reaction is to become enraged or disappointed by the problem, you might take a step back and ask yourself, “What can I gain from this experience? What opportunities lie beyond this stumbling block?”
What are your thoughts? Have you tried a spiritual path or practice to help you cope with anxiety or depression?
Does your brain age faster with depression?
“This research indicates that methylation levels at specific loci rise and decrease with age, and hence this methylation pattern is a good indication of biological age,” she explains. With growing age, this discrepancy becomes more evident, especially as people enter their 50s and 60s.”
When it comes to depression and poor childhood experiences, the findings underscore the biological significance of early-life trauma and the importance of early preventive and treatment approaches.
She does, however, say that further research is needed to back up the findings. “These are relationships,” she explains, “therefore we need long-term linked studies (longitudinal studies) to draw any judgments about whether trauma promotes epigenetic aging.”
How does spirituality improve mental health?
- When you're sick, it can help you find inner strength and speed up your recovery.
Talking with a religious or spiritual leader might provide persons with mental illnesses a sense of hope. Some mental diseases might be viewed as moments when people doubt their own worth or purpose in a negative manner. Incorporating spirituality into the therapy of mental health issues can be incredibly beneficial.
What is a spiritual depression?
Spiritual depression is characterized by a decrease in spiritual vigor and joy. In terms of Christianity, spiritual depression can include the following:
- concentrating on previous failures rather than potential adjustments that could help you do better in the future
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, a Protestant clergyman, is thought to have coined the term “Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure,” a sermon series on the subject.
However, he points out that spiritual depression is mentioned in the Bible. For example, in Psalm 42, the unidentified poet wonders, “Why hast thou been thrown down, O my soul? And what makes you so concerned about me? “Have faith in God, for I will yet laud him for the help of his face.”
If you're suffering from spiritual depression, your religious leader might advise you to pray or seek Christ. However, many of the symptoms of spiritual depression can also be signs of a depressive condition, which may be difficult to treat without the help of a mental health professional.
Our article below delves deeper into the differences between the two, as well as advice on how to deal with symptoms that are more chronic.
While the focus of this article is on spiritual depression in the context of Christianity, spiritual depression and depressive disorders can affect persons of any religion or spiritual practice.
Can praying cure anxiety?
According to study, prayer can help individuals with despair and anxiety. Researchers compiled data from 26 research that revealed patients' active participation in private or personal prayer. The effects of being prayed for or the value of attending religious meetings were not covered in the studies.
What is spiritual coping?
Dr. Elizabeth Krumrei Mancuso was the focus of this conversation, which is about spiritual coping and resilience. She is an associate professor of psychology at Pepperdine University, where she has published in the areas of psychology and religion (such as religious coping and spiritual problems), virtues (such as intellectual humility, gratitude, and forgiveness), and prostitution. She presently teaches psychotherapy, family therapy, advanced research methods, and religious psychology courses.
EM: Most people understand what coping entails, which is something along the lines of making an effort to deal with a stressful situation. According to most dictionaries, coping entails successfully confronting a problem. Surprisingly, coping efforts are frequently classified as useful or harmful in the empirical literature, and are usually termed as positive and negative coping, respectively. Spiritual coping, in my definition, is any style of coping that involves what a person considers sacred. Spiritual coping can take the form of behaviors (such as praying), but it can also take the form of thoughts (for example, remembering that God is with one during a crisis), feelings (for example, experiencing emotional intimacy within one's religious community), or attitudes (for example, trusting in a larger spiritual plan for one's life).
What is fear spiritually?
The spirit of fear is one of the primary and most important door openers for other demonic spirits. This spirit can take various shapes, but no matter what kind of fear spirit it is, its aims are obvious. Its goal is to keep you from completing God's plan for your life; from living a joyous, spirit-led existence in which you contribute to others out of an abundance of love. It will give you nightmares and keep you awake at night. It will prevent you from leaving your house or healing from previous mental and physical scars. For instance, the dread of discarding something, which could be anything from collections to clothing to rubbish. These folks have been branded “hoarders,” and you can tell when you meet one. And getting rid of their belongings (even rubbish) is akin to amputating a leg for them. It is really traumatic and terrifying for them. This fear is brought on by tragedy, most commonly the death of a loved one, but any experience can bring this spirit of fear upon a person.