Religion and Stress

The interaction of religion and stress is fascinating and it is not too arguable that spiritual faith can have a positive and calming effect on a believer’s mind, body, and spirit. And similarly, those who are under stress may seek out a belief system or become more loyal to their belief system as a result. It’s no wonder really.Psychologists are catching on to what the religious community has known all along. There is a real link between religion and stress. First of all, those who endure great emotional and/or physical stress, more commonly turn to religion as compared to those who lead lives of less adversity. If you endure the loss of a loved one or are anxious about being fired from your job, you might be more susceptible to faith. This theory threatens to undermine other more popular philosophies about why those of faith are who they are, but it still pairs religion and stress as a constructive relationship.

Internal feelings and exterior behaviors that result due to a religious faith often improve a person’s well-being. The feeling of being close to a god and the support of those who have the same beliefs can be very helpful and lead a person to cope with stress better.

This is not to be confused with “organized religion.” It is the more personal spirituality owned by a person that affects his or her health in a positive way, not necessarily the frequency he or she attends church. 

With regard to religion and stress however, studies are only conclusive for major life events, as opposed to day-to-day struggles. Dealing with daily stress does not appear to be made significantly easier for those in the religious community as compared to those outside of it. Still, religion plays a role in helping people deal with life-changing events, losses of loved ones, traumas, and other serious issues.