Courtney Connell of Weddington, NC is a college student and blogger of trending publications. In the article below, Courtney Connell explains the positive link between spirituality and mental health.
Spirituality is a major part of many people’s lives. Some people practice a specific religion, while others have their own form of spirituality. The meaning of spirituality differs vastly from person to person. How does spirituality affect mental health?
Courtney Connell of Weddington explains that despite differences in what people consider to be spirituality, there is a common thread. Spirituality leads to better mental health. It encourages people to reflect deeply and develop better relationships with themselves and others. It helps people deal with the unknown and with stress in positive ways. Spirituality can be made into a negative if those looked upon as spiritual leaders encourage unhealthy activities.
No matter what form of spirituality is practiced, it can lead to positive change. Courtney Connell of NC discusses more about the positive link between spirituality and mental health in the following article.
Finding Purpose in Spirituality Leads to Better Mental Health
One positive aspect of spirituality is its tendency to give people purpose and meaning in life. The spiritual seeker may believe in a higher power, unity of life, continual development of compassion, or any number of life-affirming beliefs that gives the seeker a reason to keep striving for self-improvement says Courtney Connell of Weddington.
Having a sense of purpose and meaning can make it easier to get through tough times. It gives people a reason to get up in the morning and keep going. With purpose and meaning, there is little reason to give up.
Spirituality Leads to Forgiveness, Which Helps Mental Health
Many believe that forgiveness is for the person being forgiven. However, to forgive another person is to release and let go of the hurt associated with their actions explains Courtney Connell of Weddington. The person being forgiven doesn’t have to know they have hurt the person forgiving, or that they have been forgiven for this powerful act to have a positive impact on the person forgiving.
Negative emotions associated with being hurt by another person are harmful to the person holding onto those emotions. Spirituality teaches forgiveness, which is linked to letting go of the difficult emotions surrounding the circumstances and the other person involved. In letting go of or releasing difficult emotions, it is the mental health of the one who has forgiven that is improved.
Spiritual Communities Affect Mental Health
When people participate in a spiritual community such as a religious organization or a meetup of like-minded individuals, they develop strong social connections. The social ties are based on personal growth and mutual support. Courtney Connell of Weddington explains that this provides participants a sense of belonging, an innate human need.
Spiritual communities also offer trusted and safe social engagements. If one member of the community needs help, it is common for many from the community to come to their aid. This helps relieve stress and shows the person that others care about them, both great contributors to good mental health.
Within the spiritual community, the spiritual path is often considered a solitary journey. This is because each person develops at their own pace and has unique internal struggles to overcome and realizations to make says Courtney Connell of Weddington. Despite the personal development of each member in the community, the community still serves as a key component of mental health.
Teachings in Spiritual Practices Lead to Better Mental Health
Without guidelines to live by, people become lost. Many people live by unconscious guidelines without realizing it. Courtney Connell of NC describes this as the need to criticize unfamiliar situations, which is unhealthy and leads to poor mental health. Spirituality provides a healthy set of guidelines to live by, including practicing compassion, forgiveness, gratitude, finding the lessons in tough situations, and doing no harm to others.
These guidelines are not just aspects of religion. Courtney Connell of NC explains that a person who is filled with gratitude when looking around them will release positive endorphins leading to improved mental health, while a person who looks around and is disgusted by what they see may feel miserable inside.
Courtney Connell of Weddington says that spirituality guides people to embrace positive, healthy outlooks in life and to take positive action when change is needed. These traits, along with practicing gratitude and stillness, are often referred to as mindfulness.
Final Thoughts on Spirituality and Mental Health
Finding and practicing spirituality is strongly linked to good mental health. Positive spirituality is found in many religions and in personal spiritual paths. If the religion, practice, or spiritual leader does not encourage unhealthy behaviors, immersing oneself in spiritual practice can offer great mental health benefits according to Courtney Connell of NC.
