Spirituality and Religion in Positive Psychiatry and Psychology

Abstract

In the last 200 years, religion and psychiatry had an ambivalent relationship. The introduction of “religious or spiritual problems” in 1994 DSM-IV as a new diagnostic category invited professionals to respect the patient’s beliefs and rituals. More than nine in ten Americans (92%) believe in the existence of God or a universal spirit. And 63% of American women and 44% of American men say that religion is very important to their lives. But research on religion and coping suggests that the benefits of religion have to do more with how you are religious - your religious style or orientation - than whether one is religious. Neurobiological sub-neocortical limbic brain regions; dopamine systems utilizing opiate and GABA receptors in the ventral striatum, amygdala, and orbital frontal cortex; and various neuropeptides mediate homeostatic satisfactions in belief systems of religion, spirituality, and positive emotions. Spirituality refers to a dimension of human experience related to the transcendent, the sacred, and is closely related to values, meaning, and purpose in life. Religion is often seen as the institutional aspect of spirituality, usually defined more in terms of systems of beliefs and practices related to the sacred or divine. Positive psychology seeks to make people happy by making life meaningful and focuses on one realizing the truth about the self and the full potential of the human being. Though horrible atrocities have been committed in the name of religion throughout history, research suggests that religious and spiritual beliefs have tremendous positive benefits to individuals and societies. Religion and spirituality have a positive correlation to psychological well-being. All the religions including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism and spirituality enhance positivity, positive psychology, pro-social behaviors, social relationships, and alleviation of clinical symptoms in psychiatric discord.