In nursing, there has been a need to involve spirituality when caring for patients especially when it is mental health care. The reasons for taking spiritual history in psychiatry are complex but include the nature of spirituality being a source of motivation, vitality, and a healthy sense of belonging. In addition, there has been a long historical relationship between religion, medicine, and mental health care. Moreover, the influence of religion or spirituality has the attitudes and decisions of psychiatrists. Spirituality enables and motivates people to search for meaning and purpose in life (Koenig, 2008). Therefore, integrated forces are hierarchically arranged in the human life’s dimension include the physical, biological, biosocial and psychological aspects.
Diagnosis
Psychosis is a severe mental disorder that is characterized by impaired thinking and emotions, and the patient seems to lose contact with reality. People with psychosis experience false thoughts or delusions and see non-existent things (Heriot‐Maitland, 2011, p.133). These experiences are so frightening to the sufferer and those close to them. People experiencing this condition can be taken to healthcare center to seek medical attention; however, religious beliefs may play a role in precipitating this illness (Koenig, 2008). A factor that is likely to relieve stress can improve the patient’s outcomes. Religion can assist the said situation in coping with the disease, some stressful life experiences, and other issues in existence and provide interpersonal support through clergy and peer.
Personal history
Sister Mary, who is a member of Catholic Church, had a history of a bipolar disease. When she later got into a depressive state, she was advised to see a psychiatrist, and she received antidepressant medication. Further, she had two suicide attempts. She was admitted to a clinic for further medical attention. She developed feelings for the therapist that were not acceptable and viewed it as infidelity against Jesus. Bad things happened to her, she blamed herself, and she thought that the terrible feelings of the evil were using her. She found no reason to live any longer because she thought that her actions would ruin the community (Koenig, 2008). Mary's psychiatrist discovered that Mary required some supernatural healing apart from what he gave her.
Although people believe that religious practices and beliefs are declining, spirituality remains high. It is relevant for the healthcare professionals and more particularly to the psychiatrists during times of emotional stress, illness, bereavement or death of people (Koenig, 2008). In dealing with the above matters, mental health professionals can help themselves, the patients, and their colleagues in other fields by applying their skills using the ordinary language and involving some religious terminologies (Heriot‐Maitland, 2011, p.135). Spiritual history means engaging people equally in inquiry or discussion using their words about what sensible to them and what puzzles them. It also tries to find out what motivates and what holds them back, and this is the most direct way to get quickly into the patient's heart.
The two dimensions of mental health are the absence of mental illness and the presence of an adjusted personality that can contribute effectively to the community's life. The essential features of mental health include the ability to take responsibility for one’s action, tolerance to frustrations, flexibility, acceptance of uncertainty, and involvement in activities of social interest. Besides, courage to take risks, courage to change things, control of temper, and harmonious relationships with other people is also some of the features (Koenig, 2008).
Treatment
The clinicians need the cultural and religious sensitivity to be respected and to differentiate between the functional and dysfunctional beliefs. The question is not about whether beliefs are true of false because they are not central to the question of religion and delusion. The important thing is for the clinicians or nurses to establish whether the condition requires their care or not. The various mood disorders or rather mental disorder ranges from melancholia at the other end and bipolar to the other. In empirical studies, the aspects of religiousness are associated with lower levels of symptoms of depression. It has been observed that religiousness or spirituality can yield to better recovery from mental depression or psychosis (Koenig, 2008). However, studies have demonstrated that the depressive symptoms are associated with religious discontent that manifests as negative feelings towards God or the sense of abandonment by God.
Religious delusions may sometimes lead to harmful violent behaviors in those suffering from it. Aggression and homicide are some of the effects that are faced by the religiously deluded individuals. The affected persons have taken statements from the Bible to justify the removal of offending eyes or body parts. Most of the lethal self-injuries could be carried out under religious delusions (Koenig, 2008). The hallucinations have been associated with poor results because they affect the predictions of the clinical prognosis. In the United Kingdom, patients with religious delusions are found to be severely ill while in the United States, those patients hospitalized and diagnosed with schizophrenia or religious delusions are found to be in worst conditions. However, in Germany, religious delusions is not differentiated with the religious beliefs and do not have poor outcomes. It nevertheless, makes delusions and religion to be controversial.
People with delusion disorder often continue to socialize with other people but do not behave in a bizarre manner. They may be preoccupied with their conditions that their lives are disrupted. The prognosis for this disorder may vary from one individual to the other. For instance, women tend to respond to medications than men. Those with the family history of the illness may have a lower prognosis compared to those without (Heriot‐Maitland, 2011, p.136). The number of adverse manifestation also determines the prognosis of an individual. According to age, it is believed that the older the person the promising is their prognosis. It is important that a psychotic person have to be supportive (Koenig, 2008). Most of them are often required to continue with the treatment for some periods of their lives. For them to maintain the mental and physical stability, it is recommended that they follow the strict procedure as required by the healthcare providers. The patient, therefore, has to follow the instructions provided by the clinicians and involve leaders of her church for prayers and pieces of advice.
References
Heriot‐Maitland, C. (2011). Exploring the compatibility of biomedical and psychological approaches to treating psychosis. Psychosis, 3(2), 133-140. doi:10.1080/17522439.2010.518320
Koenig, H. G. (2008). Medicine, religion, and health: Where science & spirituality meet. West Conshohocken, PA: Templeton Foundation Press.
