Spirituality in schizophrenia: how spirituality relates to mental health through a sense of peacefulness

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Investigations on the influences of spirituality on mental health — whether beneficial or detrimental — were usually framed by researchers’ own definitions of spirituality and the concepts of religion, thus leading to inconsistent results. The present study aimed to explore how people with schizophrenia relate spirituality to their illness, based on their understanding of spirituality. METHODS: A total of 19 outpatients with schizophrenia (aged 18-48 years) were recruited from a hospital in Hong Kong through psychiatrist referral. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. Participants were first invited to talk about the way they made sense of spirituality, then their opinions on the relationship between spirituality and their illness. Data were collected and analysed based on grounded theory. Trustworthiness was assured through member checking and inter-rater reliability. RESULTS: A sense of peacefulness emerged as one of the major components of spirituality. When compared to other components, most patients believed that it provided a direct interference on the impacts caused by the psychotic symptoms. During the acute phase, patients’ emotions and cognition were highly irritated and disturbed by the symptoms. They could no longer stay calm and clear-minded so that their judgement and capacity of handling difficulties were severely affected. Yet, the sense of peacefulness brought stability and comfort to them, and stabilised their chaotic mood and mind. As a result, they could remain tranquil in the adverse situations and think properly. Patients also pointed out that such peacefulness could be, but was not necessarily, induced by religion. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided another perspective on understanding the relationship between spirituality and mental health besides fitting the concepts of religion / the supernatural into the box. It also furnished new directions for mental health research and clinical practices.