A recent article in Scientific American reports that in the past year, the mental health of Americans sank to an all-time low. Reported mental disorders increased by 50 percent, alcohol and drug abused surged, and young adults were twice as likely to contemplate suicide compared to the years just prior to the pandemic. The only group who experienced improved mental health during the pandemic were those people who attended some kind of religious service, regardless if the services were in-person or virtual. How does spirituality work to improve mental health?
As a starter, spirituality is not a flight into denial, and God is not an aspirin that takes away all manner of suffering. However, healthy spirituality opens us to a world beyond ourselves wherein we experience ourselves as existing within a benevolent reality. We discover that there is more to us and our existence than our fears or inadequacies. We realize that that life is not reducible to a random roll of the cosmic dice, that there is an intelligent force guiding our individual and collective evolution, and there is a “Presence” permeating everything and everyone. Faith in God does not mean there will be no troubles, tragedies, or trials. Rather, faith assures us that we are not alone. We can deal with life’s uncertainties with dignity, grace, and intelligence, because we are part and parcel of a loving and eternal Reality.
I am never alone.
