Spirituality, nursing and mental health

This chapter examines the role of spirituality and religion in the experiences of people living with mental health problems. It explains the relationships between spirituality, religion and mental health. Religion is perceived as a formal system of beliefs held by groups of people who share certain perspectives on the nature of the world and that which they consider to be divine. These perspectives are communicated through shared narratives, practices, beliefs and rituals which, taken together, create particular world views. The relationship between spirituality and mental health and ill-health has traditionally been somewhat fraught. Religion and spirituality have been shown to be beneficial on a number of levels and in relation to a wide variety of conditions. Spiritual care is underpinned by the building and honouring of therapeutic relationships and should be considered an intrinsic part of collaborative care planning with all service users and carers.