Faithful Connections: Faith as a Promoter of Mental Wellbeing
As America’s mental health crisis continues, our communities of faith can create real change in the lives of those suffering from mental illnesses. Through providing communities filled with hope, love, and healing, our diverse faith groups already do so much good in the world, and it is vital that these communities of support continue to embrace those experiencing mental health disorders. Therefore, this blog discusses the current state of the mental health crisis and investigates what our faith communities can do to help.
Coming off of the pandemic and launched back into a world of political turmoil, Americans are increasingly encountering mental health challenges. In a recent study on the increase in mental illness, the National Institute of Mental Health found that over 1 in 5 adults have experienced a mental illness (impacting an estimated 59.3 million or 23.1% of the population). Despite this unimaginably high prevalence, only around 50% of those experiencing mental disorders received professional treatment, leading to a seemingly unending continuation of suffering as they find ways to cope that often result in more harm than good. An important aspect of this statistic is that this crisis does not only cause immense suffering to those experiencing a range of disorders but also changes the lives of families or anyone who cares about those experiencing the disorder. Therefore, we cannot distance ourselves from this crisis as it is quite literally in our backyard, impacting and hurting individuals in our nation, communities, families, and, perhaps, even ourselves.
According to the Pew Trust, this larger crisis is actually the product of three simultaneous crises at different levels of society. The first, is a youth mental health crisis as the pandemic seems to have substantially increased feelings of hopelessness among young people. In fact, the 2021 Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Youth Mental Health Survey indicated that an overwhelming number of around 42% of young people experience significant symptoms of depression. The second crisis is an increase in Serious Mental Illnesses (SMI) - mental illnesses that are particularly disabling including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, PTSD, etc. This fact is particularly troubling when taking into account that many of these individuals encounter serious barriers to getting treatment, resulting in only about half of those with SMI getting the help they need. The final crisis is an increase in Substance Use Disorders (SUD) that has taken the lives of many as the rise of fentanyl - a dangerous substance - wreaks havoc on our society. Our communities of faith are on the frontlines of this crisis, and it is vital to understand how these groups, united by a common belief, can continue to provide support for those who need it.
Before going deeper into how faith can improve mental health, it is important to note that we often need help beyond what our faith communities can provide. It is completely okay, and often lifesaving, to seek professional treatment. In fact, it is incredibly strong to recognize our struggle and get the help we need while experiencing the challenges that come with mental illnesses. While the rest of this blog will focus on what our faith can do for our mental health, please see the resources below if you are in need of professional help.
Often, we have a tendency to separate spirituality and psychology. However, this separation is harmful to those experiencing mental disorders, the individuals who most need the benefits of the connection between spirituality and psychology. The American Psychiatric Association found that only 52% of people say that their faiths openly discuss mental health without a stigma attached to it. We must continue to confront these stigmas and promote conversations around mental health as this topic has major real-world implications in the lives of millions. Beyond worship, religion brings us a sense of hope, support, and community. A connection with a higher power or with our broader world and society provides something few other, and perhaps no other, spaces can. If nothing else, within religious communities, many people find a feeling of belonging. Within these groups, we often have a shared worldview or belief system that connects us even when we may feel disconnected from every other part of our lives. Further, religious practices have a way of bringing us out of the secular world and into a completely new one, into a world where we are loved, embraced and accepted. Spirituality is a place of refuge, where we can center our worth and purpose. Each of these aspects makes faith a powerful tool in decreasing suffering for those fighting battles with mental illness as it provides several paths to support and peace in a way that is difficult to find in other places.
Further, religious communities are much more available as on-the-ground help than psychological help could ever be. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) found that 70% of the American population is reached by churches, temples, mosques, and faith communities each month, and members of America’s diverse religious clergy outnumber psychiatric professionals by around 10 to 1. Therefore, our faith communities, and especially our faith leaders, are often literally first responders to mental health crises, making it all the more important to continue our conversations around mental illness and create ways to seek support within our faith communities. Especially when taking into account the fact that many individuals experiencing mental disorders experience financial barriers to seeking treatment, religious communities create free support networks for people who desperately need them.
As the ongoing mental health crisis impacts the lives of millions on a daily basis, we must continue to both turn to our faith communities for support while also opening up communal networks where those in need can find a warm embrace. We cannot understand spirituality and mental wellness in a vacuum. In a time where isolation is all too common, faith communities encourage us to be involved in a communal good, including holding space for those who are struggling. While faith communities will not be able to solve all the problems currently facing our country, they nevertheless have a presence that can create change and provide so much good to those mentally suffering. As we know, faith is powerful, and we must not minimize what it can do for our mental health as it brings us love, comfort, peace, purpose, healing, and so much more.
Resources:
If you or anyone you know is experiencing a life-threatening mental health crisis, call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline using 988.
SAMSHA’s National Helpline: call 1-800-622-HELP (4357) or text 435748 (HELP4U)
Georgia Crisis & Access Lifeline: Call 1-800-715-4225
To find treatment: visit https://findtreatment.gov/ - a confidential and anonymous resource for persons seeking treatment for mental and substance use disorders in the United States
For more resources, visit the CDC’s website: https://www.cdc.gov/mental-health/caring/index.html#:~:text=Visit%20findtreatment.gov%20%E2%80%93%20a%20confidential,a.m.%20to%2010%20p.m.%20ET
