![]() ![]() Yet you have no ability to do anything about it. You are guilty and responsible, and face God’s punishment. ![]() Physical and sexual abuse justified through patriarchal power, unhealthy sexual views, and punishment used for discipline.ĭoctrines such as original sin, judgment day and eternal damnation cause the most psychological distress by creating the ultimate double bind.An external rather than internal locus of control in which knowledge is revealed not discovered, a hierarchy of authority is enforced and self is not a reliable or good source.Damage to thinking and feeling abilities when information is limited and controlled, dysfunctional beliefs are taught, and independent thinking and feeling is condemned.Suppression of normal childhood development across cognitive, social, emotional and moral domains.With constant judgment of self and others, people become alienated from themselves, each other, and the world. Religions that demand obedience and conformity produce fear, not love and growth. People can also be traumatised when they are controlled and prevented from thinking for themselves and trusting their own feelings. This can be a single event or chronic abuse of some kind. She explains that the symptoms of religious trauma syndrome are quite similar to those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, which results from experiencing or being confronted with death or serious injury and causes feelings of terror, helplessness, or horror. Making a break from such a religion involves a complete upheaval of a person’s construction of reality, including the self, others, life and the future.ĭr Marlene Winell has worked with people in recovery from these types of religions for many years. Indoctrination into an authoritarian, fundamentalist religion or cult can be hugely damaging and traumatic. ![]() If you tend to see God as punitive, threatening or unreliable, then that’s not very helpful to your mental health. But there’s a darker side to spirituality. Leading expert in the psychology of religion and spirituality, Kenneth Pargament, explains that if people have a loving, kind perception of God and feel God is supportive, they seem to experience benefits. Believing in a god who is punishing or abandoning you, or following a religion that advocates hatred of non-believers instead of love and compassion, negatively affects the individual and the way the brain works. Negative religious beliefs have been linked with harmful outcomes, including higher rates of depression, lower quality of life, greater emotional distress, and even an increased risk of an earlier death. A person’s religious community can also provide support and encouragement through hard times. Certain religious practices may even change the brain in a way that boosts mental health. Religion can give people a sense of purpose and meaning in life, and that helps them to make sense of negative things that happen to them. Devout religious people tend to have fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as a better ability to cope with stress. A large body of research has tied being religious with better well-being and overall mental health. ![]()
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