Sustained involvement with religion can dramatically improve mental health and provide a positive way of coping with stress and anxiety, according to a new report summarizing decades’ worth of investigations.
Medical and social science research repeatedly demonstrates that deeply held religious beliefs correlate with healthy mental states, with positive associations between religion and mental health outnumbering negative ones by about 10 to one, according to the report.
The report is the first of three investigations into religion’s impact on health, conducted by the Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
The institute noted that while harmful or coercive forms of religion exist, “the overall pattern across the best available studies is clear: religious belief and practice are overwhelmingly associated with better mental and emotional well-being.”
Loren Marks, the report’s lead author, confirmed the pattern, stating in a press release that the “empirical record” on religion is “remarkably consistent.”
The analysis of the different studies discovered that more-religious people have lower suicide rates compared with less-religious individuals. They also tend to have less anxiety, depression, and negative coping mechanisms for stress. According to some researchers, about 40% of the U.S. suicide rate’s increase may be accounted for by Americans’ declining interest in weekly religious commitments.
Another study found that female health professionals who attended religious services weekly were 75% less likely to commit suicide over 16 years, while male health professionals were 48% less likely over 26 years.
In addition to preventing negative mental health outcomes, research suggests that engagement with religion promotes life satisfaction, happiness, hope, self-esteem, and optimism, according to the release.
The report also notes that studies suggest those who are highly engaged in their religion for long periods of time have better mental health across several age groups, various racial and ethnic demographics, and different faith traditions.
Considering religion’s apparent benefits for mental health, the researchers suggested establishing bridges between mental health treatments and religious participation and encouraging congregations to work to prevent suicide and substance abuse. They also highlighted the importance of protecting religious freedom in order to safeguard and promote “the benefits that religion brings to individuals and society.”