Mental Health Crisis Vs Spiritual Health Crisis?

Could the global mental health crisis be a spiritual health crisis? Let's talk about it.

Last night, I could not sleep, so I let YouTube deliver randomly to my ears. The similarity between several talks on mental health issues, spiritual psychosis, and the shamanic journey struck me. The common thread between the three speakers was the fact that their mental health challenges led to powerful spiritual change. That got me thinking about the common idea that mental distress makes some people choose to be spiritual. When, in fact, I believe that much of our mental health struggles are a result of a lack of spiritual health practices.

As a shamanic practitioner, I share that our world teaches unhealthy behaviors that lead to the death of the soul. I share healing and emotional health methods that allow people to call their souls back. If you look at the origins of the 7 Deadly Sins, that list was initially created to share the seven unhealthy practices that eventually lead to the death of the soul. Children are naturally spiritual, but we grow up in a world that drives most of them to become adults vested in a system that celebrates the very behaviors that lead to the death of the soul.

With the demise of religion, a primary source of learning spiritual practices, a focus on fear-driven narratives and the superficial success via media, and a dependence on technology that drives the majority of people to spend their days staring at a screen instead of being present as life is happening, it should be no surprise we have a global mental health crisis.

When I began to struggle with anxiety and depression 15 years ago, instead of looking at my situation as a potential sign that I was in spiritual crisis, needing to call back my soul from unhealthy thought habits, I was given DSM-approved labels and powerful medications that would delay my healing and cause more issues for years. These exchanges happened within minutes. My symptoms were being labeled and medicated instead of treated for long-term good. Honestly, I am unsure if we will ever grasp the full extent of the damage that big pharma has caused to humanity. I now believe medication should be a last resort.

We need to revisit the way mental health is addressed in America on a very fundamental level. Instead of allowing big pharma to continue to pay for the DSM (yes, they fund most research used to write the DSM) to be crafted, perhaps we should toss it out and start over with an eye toward most general mental health issues being a matter of spiritual health crisis.

We could teach our children spiritual health practices such as mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and journaling and focus adult therapies on undoing all the unhealthy behaviors our society has allowed to be embedded in the human journey. We have to bring adults back in line with the version of them that existed before they were taught to vest in all the deadly sins we have come to celebrate in recent decades. Perhaps that is the source of the global mental health crisis.

This belief is one of the reasons I am so incredibly happy that Robert Kennedy Jr is taking on American health. We need an overhaul that will allow us to tackle the mental health crisis before it gets any worse.

Here is some research that supports this position:

1. Collapse of Religion: - Research by the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University suggests a crisis in meaning and identity among young adults, which could be linked to a decline in religiosity. The absence of religious frameworks has been hypothesized to contribute to a lack of purpose or community, potentially leading to mental health issues (source akin to [7]).

2. Unhealthy Lifestyle Practices: - Studies on spirituality and health indicate that spiritual practices can promote healthier lifestyle choices. Religion often encourages behaviors that benefit health (like less substance abuse, better diet, etc.), suggesting that a decline in spiritual life might correlate with poorer health practices ([4] Religion, Spirituality, and Health).

3. Social Media's Impact: - The Surgeon General's Advisory on Social Media discusses its detrimental effects on youth mental health. While not directly linking it to spirituality, the constant comparison and pressure to conform seen on social platforms can lead to existential crises or a loss of authentic self, which might be interpreted through a spiritual lens where one struggles to find meaning or self-worth ([25] Social Media and Youth Mental Health).

4. Fear-Driven Media: - Research on media coverage during crises like COVID-19 shows that fear-driven narratives can increase anxiety and stress, potentially leading individuals to seek spiritual solace as a coping mechanism. This highlights how the absence or reduction of spiritual practices might exacerbate mental health issues in such environments ([2] Mental health consequences of COVID-19 media coverage).

5. Spiritual Well-being and Mental Health: Koenig et al.'s systematic review of research on spirituality, religiousness, and mental health found that spiritual or religious involvement is generally associated with better mental health outcomes. This suggests that a decline in spiritual engagement could inversely affect mental well-being ([1] Spirituality, religiousness, and mental health).

6. Mental Health and the Role of Spirituality: - Spiritual assessments in mental health care are increasingly recognized as beneficial. The inclusion of spirituality in therapy, like spiritually augmented cognitive behavior therapy, has shown positive results, indicating that spiritual health might be integral to mental health ([19] Spirituality and mental health).

7. Public Sentiment and Anecdotal Observations: Posts on platforms like X have indicated that some believe the loss of religious frameworks contributes to mental health decline. While not empirical evidence, these sentiments reflect a perceived connection between spirituality and mental health ([0] Posts on X).

These points collectively suggest that the decline in traditional religious participation, coupled with societal pressures from modern lifestyle practices, media consumption, and digital interactions, might contribute to what could be seen as a spiritual health crisis manifesting in mental health issues.

Have a fantastic weekend.

Regards,

Cynthia