Manic depression and religious experience: The use of religion in therapy
Author:
Kelley A. Raab a
| Affiliation: | a University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
DOI:
10.1080/13674670600941361
Publication Frequency:
8 issues per year
Published in:
Mental Health, Religion & Culture,
Volume
10,
Issue
5
September
2007
, pages 473
- 487
Subjects:
Counseling;
Cross Cultural Psychology;
Cross-Cultural Psychiatry;
Ethics & Legal issues in Mental Health;
Psychiatry;
Psychiatry & Clinical Psychology - Adult;
Religion;
Religion & Psychology;
Religion in Context;
Social Psychology;
Spirituality & Religion - Counseling;
Formats available:
HTML
(English)
:
PDF
(English)
View Article:
View Article (PDF)
View Article (HTML)
Abstract
In the article, I explore 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. I suggest 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.
|
| view references (29) |

Download Citation

CiteULike
Del.icio.us
BibSonomy
Connotea