Religiosity, coping, and suicidality within the religious Zionist community of Israela thematic qualitative analysis

Abstract

The relationship between religion and mental health has been the subject of extensive research, particularly in recent years. The issues of coping and suicidality have also been widely studied. Significantly, however, how religious people cope with harsh life situations is an area which has been overlooked. The present study based on 18 semi-structured interviews, analyses have members of the Religious Zionist community in Israel cope with harsh life situations. Although the study confirms the conclusions of previous research -in general religion creates a buffer to suicide -the results showed a relatively low impact of religiosity on coping: in general these religious interviewees found it difficult to access their religiosity during harsh life situations. The paper suggests a range of explanations, for example the complexity of personal and collective identities which characterise this group, or -more significantly -the possibilty that religious coping is not actually absent but is only available in a second, later stage of coping.

Religiosidade e espiritualidade de universitários com ideação e tentativa de suicídio

“…Minha cabeça ficava só martelando morte… então não conseguia realmente pensar em outras coisas a não ser isso… naquele momento não via sentido na vida e muito menos na religião. (LÍRIO) Essa realidade pode ocorrer em decorrência do ser humano não conseguir ativar sua fé e a sua crença durante o grande sofrimento vivenciado no comportamento suicida (Band, Dein, & Loewenthal, 2011). Apesar de os jovens acreditarem na existência de Deus e de sua associação com o bem-estar e a saúde mental, eles mesmos não tiveram sucesso com essa estratégia durante a ideação e o comportamento suicida (Akotia, Knizek, Kinyanda, & Hjelmeland, 2014).…”