Religion and Spirituality in Psychiatry

Models of Mental Illness and Its Treatment 275then it should be possible to measure it by physicalmeans. However, the explanation of theenergy field is as yet unsubstantiated by scientificresearch. Although spiritual healing is often dismissedas a placebo response, some studies claimthere is a direct influence.(47 , 48 )For the patient, it is vital to make sense of theexperience when confronted with illness. There isa need to search for meaning in the face of chaos,loss, hopelessness, and suffering. New efforts forlay involvement in medicine and in the churchand a call for spiritual (or holistic) understandingof illness are the expressions of individual callsfor such meaning according to patient beliefs.Alternative therapies such as spiritual healingappear to be of particular benefit when requestedby the patient. Recognizing a patient’s beliefs andfacilitating the practice of health that takes intoaccount those beliefs appears to be an importantinitiative in the management of suffering andloss. (46)6. EXPERIENCES OF PATIENTSIN RELATION TO THE SPIRITUALASPECTS OF BEING ILLThe experience that patients have of being illstrongly depends on one’s personal understandingof the illness. Spiritual aspects are of vitalimportance to patients when they are dealingwith their illness and their relationships, whenthey are making decisions and facing their lossdue to illness, and when they are complying withtheir treatment. Spirituality may, in some cases,have a negative effect on the normal functioningof a person.( 49 , 50 )6.1. Religious Beliefs and Views on LifeBased on research by our group, we have foundthat themes according to religious beliefs andviews on life can be both positive and negativeand can influence or be influenced by theconceptualization of the illness and its prognosis.Positive influences are manifested in thesense that some of the patients during illnessand treatment were trusting in God, believedin miracles, and found strength in themselves,their faith, and nature. (50) A patient said,“What I read in the bible gave me lot of faith andrest. Yes, I could leave it in Gods hands easily. Ithas deepened my faith; my illness has enrichedmy life.” Another patient said, “You have to prayand give it to God. He will take care of it.” To thecontrary, some patients talked about faith andtheir view of life in a negative way by saying thatthey were angry at God or could no longer drawany strength from their faith. A patient said, “Iam not religious any more. I stepped out. I amangry with God because he sent me illness andpain.”( 50)6.2. Goal in Life and Life BalanceConfrontation with their own vulnerability influencesthe patients’ balance of life. Some of thepatients experienced the illness as an experienceof loss, because they could not go on living asthey did before the illness. They were confrontedwith their own limitations. A patient said, “Thisdisease makes me lose my abilities to resist and itis God who sent it to me perhaps in order to punishme for something I did.”( 50) Some patientsexperienced their situation as a fate, in whichthey could find rest or in which they could givetheir illness a place in their life. “Everybody getshis turn. Everyone has his own cross to bear.Everyone gets it in his own way on his own time.Let’s make something of it.”( 49)6.3 HumilityBy confronting a severe disease, the patientbecomes more aware of his personal history. Apatient said, “Before, I was very full of myself. Ifelt I was the most beautiful and I would alwaysoutdo the others. This illness has turned me intoa more humble person and has made me meditateupon what is really important in life and forme.”( 50) Patients said they were looking back ontheir life more and made up a kind of balance.Some of them took hope and strength out of earlierdifficult life experiences that helped them tofight against this setback now. (49)