What is religious depression?
Spiritual depression generally refers to a loss of spiritual vitality and joy. In terms of Christianity, experiencing a spiritual depression might involve: losing touch with your faith. “forgetting” God, or struggling to find time for spiritual study.
Several studies have demonstrated that more religious persons have a lower incidence and prevalence of depression. The studies which have correlated the incidence and prevalence of depression to the various dimensions of religiosity are mainly large-scale community-based studies.
A number of studies have found that devout people have fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as a better ability to cope with stress.
Active and adaptive coping skills in subjects with residual schizophrenia are associated with a sound spiritual, religious, or personal belief system.
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “No person suffers any anxiety or grief and says this supplication, but Allah will take away his sorrow and grief, and give him in their stead joy. Having said that, however, Muslims are not immune to the feeling of grief or depression.
In the New Testament, one of the best examples of depression can be found in the Apostle Paul. In 1 Corinthians 1:3-8, Paul writes about being in complete despair and says, “burdened beyond our strength ….” The Greek word for despair in those verses literally means to be utterly at loss and to renounce all hope.
"Depression Is a Sin" in Christian Literature. Accounts that describe depression as sin or as caused by sin written by Christians and aimed at depression sufferers are not difficult to find, whether online, or in often-bestselling books written by mental health professionals and Christian ministers.
Research has repeatedly shown that people of faith report feeling better and healthier. One of the most striking findings in social epidemiology, Luhrmann notes, is that religious involvement with God is better for your body in terms of immune functions and reducing loneliness.
According to new research, intrinsic religiosity has a protective effect against depression symptoms. Religion was only a pipeline, however—a sense of meaning mattered most. With increasing rates of depression globally, religion could be a "natural antidepressant" for some.
Most importantly, one of the core principles of Hinduism which can help to enlighten one out of depression is really simple to understand. All it says is that we should live in the moment and not in the mind because it's important for all of us to see how beautiful our existence is!
Do religious people live longer?
A recent study finds that people who regularly attend religious services live approximately four years longer than average. Researchers built the study from previous data suggesting that social interaction, volunteer work, and healthy habits can lead to a longer life.
This review showed, in almost every study, that religion in general, religious training, spirituality, faith, prayer, religious community and worship were associated with reduced anxiety (stress). These effects were observed in both healthy individuals and in various patient populations.

Definition of zealot
1 : a zealous person especially : a fanatical partisan a religious zealot.
Religion gives people something to believe in, provides a sense of structure and typically offers a group of people to connect with over similar beliefs. These facets can have a large positive impact on mental health — research suggests that religiosity reduces suicide rates, alcoholism and drug use.
A messiah complex (Christ complex or savior complex) is a state of mind in which an individual holds a belief that they are destined to become a savior today or in the near future. The term can also refer to a state of mind in which an individual believes that they are responsible for saving or assisting others.
There are also some practices in Islam that help Muslims enhance their mental health. These practices include (1) daily prayers, (2) fasting during the month of Ramadan, (3) helping others, and (4) daily reciting of the Holy Quran. When Muslims are praying, they are talking directly to God.
Allah gives us reward through affliction
Anxiety is something that we cannot escape given the adversities that we may experience everyday. Anxiety is a condition that doesn't show itself out of nowhere.
Islam values the importance of good mental health and emotional wellbeing. The Qur'an can be used as a guide to those suffering from emotional distress and aims to lead people to a meaningful quality of life. 'There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He also has created its treatment' (Hadith).
"Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." "When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles."
Elijah, a prophet, Biblical hero, and person of faith, was seriously depressed.
Who has mental illness in the Bible?
One thing is certain -- King Saul was a long time sufferer of mental distress, whatever its cause. David had his moral weaknesses, but mental illness does not seem to have been a problem for him (at least not until much later in his life). He did, however, feign mental illness to get himself out of a bind.
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
The Bible's term for this is “justification by faith.” (See Romans 5:1, 9.) If you have never placed your faith in Christ as Savior, guilt from unresolved sin is one of the hidden causes of your depression.
Depression is considered a psychiatric disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It's a significant mood disorder that's known to interfere with daily activities, which may include your ability to work. Depression sometimes becomes so severe that you can no longer go to work.
We ask, "If all things have a creator, then who created God?" Actually, only created things have a creator, so it's improper to lump God with his creation. God has revealed himself to us in the Bible as having always existed. Atheists counter that there is no reason to assume the universe was created.
The decline in church membership, then, appears largely tied to population change, with those in older generations who were likely to be church members being replaced in the U.S. adult population with people in younger generations who are less likely to belong.
According to Pew Research Center, Hindus are the second wealthiest and the most educated religious group in the United States. This is one of the reasons why scholars consider Hinduism the most beautiful religion in the world.
Christianity teaches values that promote less anxiety, specifically because the beliefs in Christianity runs directly counter to the issues that cause anxiety. For example: Fear of the Unknown The bible teaches that fear of the unknown shows a lack of faith in God. Everything is supposed to be the result of God's plan.
For Christians, suffering is a gift and blessing from God in disguise. If you take suffering as a gift and blessing from God in disguise, you will look on suffering as a friend rather than an enemy. Depression is a real suffering. Yet for those who love God, depression is a stepping stone for spiri- tual growth.
In a comprehensive review of the relationship between religion and generalized anxiety in 7 clinical trials and 69 observational studies, Koenig and colleagues8 found that half of these studies demonstrated lower levels of anxiety among more religious people, 17 studies reported no association, 7 reported mixed results ...
What does yoga say about depression?
While you might think stretching, breathing, and focusing on your posture can't possibly improve your psychological well-being, there's growing evidence that yoga can be effective in reducing depression. Researchers found that yoga provides immediate relief as well as long-term symptom reduction.
Hindus believe that all illnesses, whether physical or mental, have a biological, psychological and spiritual element. Treatments which do not address all three causes may not be considered effective by a Hindu patient10. Many Hindus attach a stigma to mental illness and cognitive dysfunction.
We were heading to Chintaluru village, in East Godavari district where one finds Andhra Pradesh's earliest dedicated temple to Dhanvantri, the Hindu god of health and specifically Ayurveda. It is also one of the few of its kind in India.
Actively religious people in the U.S. are more likely to say they are very happy. After analyzing the survey data, Pew researchers found that frequent church-goers are more satisfied overall.
According to the study, middle-aged (ages 40 to 65) adults – both men and women – who attend church or other houses of worship reduce their risk for mortality by 55 percent.
In response, eight-in-ten regular attenders say becoming “closer to God” is a very important reason they go to religious services. Additionally, roughly two-thirds say they attend religious services to give their children a moral foundation, to become better people, and for comfort in times of trouble or sorrow.
Religious trauma syndrome (RTS) occurs when an individual struggles with leaving a religion or a set of beliefs. It often involves the trauma of breaking away from a controlling environment, lifestyle, or religious figure.
Religion and religious practices also influence social integration, risk of suicide attempts, and substance use. Religion and spirituality also serves as an effective method of coping with the illness. Religion also influences the treatment compliance and outcome in patients with schizophrenia.
OCD is a broad disorder that encompasses many subgroups: in the case of religious OCD (also known as scrupulosity), the person is fixated on obsessions that are based in religion and/or religious beliefs, or around beliefs concerning morality.
While the Nones include agnostics and atheists, most people in this category retain a belief in God or some higher power. Many describe themselves as “spiritual but not religious,” or “SBNR,” as researchers refer to them.
Does God exist Yes or no?
The atheistic conclusion is that the arguments and evidence both indicate there is insufficient reason to believe that any gods exist, and that personal subjective religious experiences say something about the human experience rather than the nature of reality itself; therefore, one has no reason to believe that a god ...
The word fundamentalist is used most often to talk about religion. As an adjective, it describes a very strict, literal interpretation of a religious text or set of beliefs, and the noun means a person who holds those firm, often extreme, beliefs.
Half (49%) in a new global study agree that religion does more harm than good in the world, and 51% disagree, according to new data from Ipsos Global @dvisor survey.
- Religion is filling people with fear. Religion is one of the main reasons why people are afraid of living. ...
- Religion is turning people against themselves. ...
- Religion is turning people against each other. ...
- Religion is keeping people in ignorance.
If you hear voices, talk to your GP. They will usually check for any physical reasons you could be hearing voices before diagnosing you with a mental health condition or referring you to a psychiatrist.
Also known as white knight syndrome, savior complex occurs when individuals feel good about themselves only when helping someone, believe their job or purpose is to help those around them, and sacrifice their own interests and well-being in the effort to aid another.
A savior complex, or white knight syndrome, describes this need to “save” people by fixing their problems. If you have a savior complex, you might: only feel good about yourself when helping someone. believe helping others is your purpose. expend so much energy trying to fix others that you end up burning out.
“A complex psychological state when a person believes that he or she is a savior today or he or she will be in the near future. This kind of psychological issue is usually acquired by patients who have schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. It is true that people can always be a savior.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” The Good News: Dealing with depression can be scary. But this verse reminds you that with God on your side, there's nothing to fear.
The Bible's term for this is “justification by faith.” (See Romans 5:1, 9.) If you have never placed your faith in Christ as Savior, guilt from unresolved sin is one of the hidden causes of your depression.
How do you know if your spirit is disturbed?
- Feelings of anger or hopelessness.
- Feelings of depression and anxiety.
- Difficulty sleeping.
- Feeling abandoned by God.
- Questioning the meaning of life or suffering.
- Questioning beliefs or sudden doubt in spiritual or religious beliefs.
- Asking why this situation occurred.
Previous studies have also reported some negative effects of religion and religious education on mental health. In some cases, religious beliefs and practices contributed to the development of certain disorders like obsession, anxiety, and depression [60].
Elijah, a prophet, Biblical hero, and person of faith, was seriously depressed.
"Depression Is a Sin" in Christian Literature. Accounts that describe depression as sin or as caused by sin written by Christians and aimed at depression sufferers are not difficult to find, whether online, or in often-bestselling books written by mental health professionals and Christian ministers.
There's no single cause of depression. It can occur for a variety of reasons and it has many different triggers. For some people, an upsetting or stressful life event, such as bereavement, divorce, illness, redundancy and job or money worries, can be the cause.
"Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." "When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles."
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
It is extremely common for example that people suffering with depression will feel that God has abandoned them since they no longer carry the sensory awareness to his presence. This is because depression and anxiety directly impact the Hippocampus; the part of the brain responsibility for feelings of connection.
For some people, the Holy Ghost may cause them to feel overwhelmed with emotion and moved to tears. For others, tears rarely or never come. And that's okay. For them, the Holy Ghost may produce a subtle feeling of gratitude, peace, reverence, or love (see Galatians 5:22–23).
Loving God, please grant me peace of mind and calm my troubled heart. My soul is like a turbulent sea. I can't seem to find my balance so I stumble and worry constantly. Give me the strength and clarity of mind to find my purpose and walk the path you've laid out for me.
What is spiritual burnout?
A spiritual burnout is when you get so tired on your spiritual awakening journey, you feel like you can't do it anymore. You feel like you just want it all to be over so you can just go home, but you're home and you don't even know where this home you yearn for is. This burnout runs deeper than just physical tiredness.
Research has repeatedly shown that people of faith report feeling better and healthier. One of the most striking findings in social epidemiology, Luhrmann notes, is that religious involvement with God is better for your body in terms of immune functions and reducing loneliness.
Highlights. In 49% of the studies (138 included), religiosity predicted a decrease in depression over time (d = −0.18). In 59% of the studies (22 included), religious struggle predicted an increase in depression over time (d = 0.30). Among persons with psychiatric symptoms, religiosity tended to be more protective.
A recent study finds that people who regularly attend religious services live approximately four years longer than average. Researchers built the study from previous data suggesting that social interaction, volunteer work, and healthy habits can lead to a longer life.