How religion has been a historical antidote to mental illness
Creative Commons photo.
(OPINION) Religion is as old as civilization itself. For ancient civilizations, like those that flourished in Mesopotamia, exploration of the world was still in its infancy — and the world was basically all the eye could see. Their deities represented the earth, the sea and the heavens. For as little knowledge of the world as they had, they still believed in something bigger than themselves, mostly to explain natural phenomena they couldn’t comprehend.
Ancient Greeks, the creators of so many subjects and ideas that have shaped our world, were the first to put forth the idea of the soul. They called it anima, and that idea was put up by names you might’ve heard before, like Plato and Aristotle.
The Greeks figured out a connection between themselves, their gods and their mental health — though far from contemporary notions of psychology and psychotherapy, which were still millennia away.
Their idea of gods was not like the idea of an omnipresent, omniscient and all-powerful God that religions like Christianity and Islamism defend. The Greek gods, although still powerful deities in their own rights, were not perfect — far from it. They had defects like any human being; they were thought to look out for mortals and they were responsible for many parts of the earth, namely the sun, the seas, the heavens. They also had many human attributes, like courage, love, enlightenment and pleasure. The gods also knew that they had their defects, with some stories showing the gods being vengeful, doing mischief, being sadistic and downright savage with one another or their human worshippers.
What does that have to do with the Greeks’ understanding of mental health? They were smarter on this front than many people tend to give them credit for. Since they knew that their gods weren’t perfect, no human being was expected to be perfect, either. But they were expected to respect their lives, and, like the gods, they had responsibilities in the world. They believed that their lives had meaning in a way that, like the gods, benefited the world.
We can see examples of this outlook in their philosophies, such as stoicism, which pursued the ideal of living a life void of negative feelings, a tranquil yet fulfilling life that taught them to do what was meant for them, to follow their path and to pursue what nature, or the gods, had prepared for them.
Another example comes from Christianity, with its belief that God is the creator of the world and that humans are the descendants of two original parents, Adam and Eve, who were cast out of paradise for eating the forbidden fruit. Since then, Christians believe, humans are on this earth to repent for their original sin. That may sound very dreary and depressing, but that view does imbue people with a sense of purpose. It upholds the idea that life in this world is a “test,” which gives meaning to our suffering and our sacrifices; it encourages us to become better human beings and to help others. And, since the dawn of humankind, we have been searching for an answer to this perennial question: ”What is our purpose?”
Religion can help people find meaning and wholeness, so they feel like they have a purpose and must embrace virtues and values. Faith allows people to find happiness even after a traumatic experience or just a rough patch in life. This is very valuable in an ever more shallow world that puts a premium on materialism, and that is driven by greed and wastefulness. It is the culture of “never enough.”
Ample research has shown that people who practice a religion are less likely to suffer from mental illnesses, such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse and suicidal thoughts. They tend to be more engaged in physical activity, are happier overall and have higher chances of success in their chosen fields. Living a life of faith also has been shown to provide a protective effect on the brain in a study of adults at high familial risk for depression.
These benefits make sense, as humans simply do better when they find meaning in life. We are naturally very curious and like to at least have a grasp of the outcome of our actions and commitments; we want to know exactly why we’re doing something and how it will benefit us.
Religion gives us exactly that — it gives us purpose. It gives meaning to our suffering or gives us guidance to figure out our way in this world, to discover our path in life, to do what we believe is right for us, the sense that we are moving toward a certain goal, even if it cannot be fully grasped.
Read: Accepting your mental illness does not mean a loss of faith
With that said, religion is not the end-all, be-all of in terms of preventing mental illness, as history has also shown that following a religion can be just as harmful to mental health and the common good as not having any faith at all.
We must not forget that religion has also been a cause, and still is, of innumerable deaths in the world. Just think of the abuses that went along with the Christianization of native peoples in Europe, the exploits of the conquistadors in the Americas, or the bloodshed of the Crusades in the Middle East and the cruelty of the Inquisition. Today, there is jihadist Islam, with its persecution of ethnic and religious minorities, suicide bombings and terror in the name of an extremist messianic ideal.
Religion is not necessary for mental health. Just as being religious doesn’t make someone look “dumb” or misguided, being an atheist doesn’t make someone nihilistic or unhappy. One can be a very enlightened religious person, or one can be a very positive and helpful person without adhering to a religion.
Following a religion is not necessary to find meaning in life. It might be almost impossible for an ardent atheist to become a believer, but that doesn’t mean he or she has to be considered “lost” or nihilistic. And not all faiths worship a God on high. For example, Buddhists do not follow the idea of a higher being — they follow the imperative of human beings “finding their inner God.”
There are many ways to find meaning and happiness in life, which is a journey that depends on human cooperation. We are meant to work together for a better world, be happy doing it and not let our beliefs or lack thereof divide us.
João Caldas is a mental health and self-development writer based in Portugal. He has studied psychology and philosophy. He is passionate about the evolution of religions and philosophies around the world and their influence on civilizations throughout history. To learn more about his work, please visit his website.