By: centraljersey.com
What is spirituality?
Very few definitions are acceptable to everyone. Each of our spiritual lives is unique and a deeply personal expression of who we are and where we find meaning in the ultimate questions about life.
To one person, spirituality is attending religious services. To another, it may mean praying routinely. To someone else, it could involve daily meditation, or volunteer or community service.
Whatever the definition, spirituality has the same function: It satisfies an essential human need to find purpose and value in life – inspiring a search for hope and harmony.
And when it comes to mental health, spirituality is often the key to maintaining our well-being, and the cornerstone of our ability to cope with stress and adversity, and overcome mental illnesses like depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and substance abuse.
Consider that a newly released study concluded that spirituality – a key component in many 12-step addiction recovery programs – is a main factor in the effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Recognizing the importance of spirituality in mental health, Princeton House Behavioral Health – a unit of Princeton HealthCare System – offers spiritual counseling and support as a component of its treatment programs, many of which incorporate the 12-step philosophy.
How can spirituality aid in the recovery of mental health and addiction?
Patients suffering with mental illness and substance abuse often express a feeling of hopelessness, a sense of having little to live for. Depression, for example, can lead many to question things that have previously offered a sense of security or connectedness to the larger world. These feelings can be crippling – eating away at the will and the drive to improve.
By re-awakening and nurturing their spiritual side, we can begin to restore the hope in their lives, and strengthen their will and ability to recover. Spiritual beliefs can offer grounding, comfort, and allow for the expression of psychic and emotional pain often associated with mental illness.
A strong spiritual self helps us to:
– Face obstacles and deal with them in a healthy way.
– Unburden ourselves of painful regrets and mistakes.
– Manage stress and cope with the challenges in our daily routines.
– Take time out and regain our focus.
Spirituality takes many different forms. The most common form is that of the faith-based organizations: churches, synagogues, temples, and other places where people gather to study and worship. Research shows that people who belong to faith organizations are generally happier and feel more connected to their world. These organizations offer encouragement, companionship and love, while also giving members a sense of belonging and purpose that is essential to a spiritually fulfilling life.
But you do not have to belong to a faith-based organization to lead a spiritual life. Spirituality is deeply personal and can be expressed in many other ways. Some examples of other spiritual practices include:
– Praying.
– Reading scripture or other wisdom literature.
– Living by a set of codes and values such as honesty, integrity and kindness.
– Meditation.
– Rituals, such as lighting candles or burning incense.
– Appreciating the beauty of nature.
– Participating in creative or cultural experiences such as music and art.
– Yoga.
– Volunteer work.
Although many people may not immediately identify these practices as spiritual, they do enable people to find meaning in their lives and feel connected to something bigger than themselves. This connection creates a feeling of self worth that is key to maintaining mental health and overcoming mental illness.
While spirituality is a unique part of a person’s life, it is ever present. Although you may not consider yourself a spiritual person, think about how you would answer the following questions:
– What sustains you in difficult times?
– What keeps you going and gives you a sense of hope that things will improve?
– How would you handle the unimaginable?
For many people, the answer is their spirituality, which comes to the surface when they are faced with adversity, including mental illness. This connection supports them and carries them forward into the future.
We all have a spiritual self – a place inside where hope resides. It is this self and this hope that gives us the courage to confront the challenges in our lives and the capacity to overcome them.
The Rev. Richard H. White is the director of religious ministries at Princeton HealthCare System.
Princeton House Behavioral Health, a unit of Princeton HealthCare System, provides treatment and personalized care for people who need psychiatric support, have chemical dependencies or who struggle with a combination of emotional and addiction problems. Princeton House responds to patients’ spiritual needs by acknowledging and incorporating spirituality in its programs and providing opportunities for patients to express their spiritual beliefs. For help, call 24 hours a day at 800-242-2550.