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Religion and spirituality in the context of bipolar disorder: a literature review
- Authors:
- PESUT Barbara, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health Religion and Culture, 14(8), 2011, pp.785-796.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Religion and spirituality (R/S) may play an important role by providing a means of coping with, and an explanatory model for, their disorder in individuals with bipolar disorder (BD). The authors also point out that R/S delusions can be important symptoms of BD. They conducted a systematic review of empirical studies that explored R/S in individuals with BD or samples that explicitly delineate individuals with BD. Only six studies met the inclusion criteria. Findings from these suggest that R/S strategies may be important for some people in the management of BD. The authors suggest that this means religion and spirituality become relevant concerns for a therapeutic regime that seeks to develop wellness within a bio-psycho-social model. However, they note that the limited body of research and methodological shortcomings of existing research make it difficult to draw conclusions about how this might be accomplished. There is a need for longitudinal, prospective, mixed methods research in order to inform evidence-based practice.
Manic depression and religious experience: the use of religion in therapy
- Author:
- RAAB Kelley A.
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health Religion and Culture, 10(5), September 2007, pp.473-487.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
The author explores the use of spiritual strategies in the treatment of manic depression in religiously oriented psychiatric inpatients. Manic depression, a disorder primarily of mood, is characterized by bouts of mania alternating with depression. Religious themes and mystical experiences pervade the language of manic depressive illness, e.g., sensing one is God, being given a divine mission, receiving divine messages, having ecstatic experiences, and so on. Debate exists concerning the effectiveness of spiritual interventions in manic patients. The author suggests that a trained religious leader may be able to work therapeutically with such patients, provided that two goals are kept in mind: emphasizing beliefs that facilitate positive coping and challenging irrational religious beliefs (i.e., beliefs that lead to negative coping). When examined psychoanalytically, patients' religious symbols and beliefs reveal deeply held beliefs about themselves. In particular, splitting and idealization and devaluation can be seen in their religious belief system. The role of culture in promoting maladaptive belief systems must not be overlooked. In employing spiritual interventions in patients diagnosed with manic depression, potential dangers are imposing one's values on patients and overstating the importance of spirituality.
Bipolar illness, God, and object relations: the treatment of M
- Author:
- DUCKHAM Bryan
- Journal article citation:
- Smith College Studies in Social Work, 81(2-3), 2011, pp.268-291.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This article presents a case study to illustrate how problems in early object relations development can contribute to bipolar illness and an unhealthy image of God. In addition, it demonstrates how psychodynamically oriented psychotherapy contributed to the repair of a client’s object relational functioning and transformed his image of God. In the course of treatment, the client, who suffers from bipolar I disorder, reported distinct improvement in his object relatedness as well as his individual functioning. In addition, the psychotherapy mitigated the effects of homonegativity on his self-image and his experience of his homosexuality. He began to see and interact with his clinical social worker, others, and the God of his understanding, in a more realistic and healthy manner. The client’s participation in a 12-Step group and his adherence to its beliefs augmented the changes he made through psychotherapy. Through these treatments, the client's belief in a punishing God shifted toward a more benevolent one. Overall, the client’s object relations changed toward a greater balance of emotions and development of more textured relationships, including his relationship toward himself and God.
Religion, culture and mental health
- Author:
- LOEWENTHAL Kate
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
- Publication year:
- 2007
- Pagination:
- 169p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- Cambridge
This publication looks at the relationship between religion, culture and mental health. The author raises questions such as, does religion cause, exacerbate or relieve mental disorder. Different psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia, manic disorders, depression, anxiety, somatization and dissociation are covered as well as positive states of mind. The religious and cultural influences on each are analysed.