The relationship between religious involvement and clinical status of patients with bipolar disorder

Abstract

Objective Religion and spirituality are important coping strategies in depression but have been rarely studied within the context of bipolar disorder. The present study assessed the association between different forms of religious involvement and the clinical status of individuals treated for bipolar disorder. Methods A cross-sectional observation study of follow-up data from a large cohort study of patients receiving care for bipolar disorder (n = 334) at an urban Veterans Affairs mental health clinic was conducted. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess the association between public (frequency of church attendance), private (frequency of prayer/meditation), as well as subjective forms (influence of beliefs on life) of religious involvement and mixed, manic, depressed, and euthymic states when demographic, anxiety, alcohol abuse, and health indicators were controlled. Results Multivariate analyses found significant associations between higher rates of prayer/meditation and participants in a mixed state [odds ratio (OR) = 1.29; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.10-1.52, chi square = 9.42, df = 14, p < 0.05], as well as lower rates of prayer/meditation and participants who were euthymic (OR = 0.84; 95% CI = 0.72-0.99, chi square = 4.60, df = 14, p < 0.05). Depression and mania were not associated with religious involvement. Conclusions Compared to patients with bipolar disorder in depressed, manic, or euthymic states, patients in mixed states have more active private religious lives. Providers should assess the religious activities of individuals with bipolar disorder in mixed states and how they may complement/deter ongoing treatment. Future longitudinal studies linking bipolar states, religious activities, and treatment-seeking behaviors are needed.

Risk factors for suicide in bipolar disorder: A systematic review

“…First of all, their findings may be in line with the hypothesis of Cruz et al (2010) that higher levels of distress as such caused by mixed episodes and/or chronic depression, would prompt patients to seek relief from religion, and therefore increase the frequency of their religious behaviors. However, it could be that, once depressed, HRI patients become the victims of their religious commitment and that, in this case, religion exerts harmful effects on health.…”

Is God's call more than audible? A preliminary exploration using a two‐dimensional model of theistic/spiritual beliefs and experiences

“…Furthermore, it has even been suggested that spirituality might reflect little more than a misattribution of pleasant affectivity to stimuli that are undetected by the ‘spiritually unmoved’ (Hicks & King, ; Schuurmans‐Stekhoven). Regardless of cause, the oppositional relationship between affective self‐reports among the spiritual concurs with findings that spirituality is more prevalent among those with bipolar disorder (Cruz et al., ; Galvez, Thommi, & Ghaemi, ; Mitchell & Romans, ) and that those with bipolar disorder tend to attribute their hallucinations to spiritual forces (Hammersley, Taylor, McGovern, & Kinderman, ).…”

Is religiosity a protective factor against suicidal behavior in bipolar I outpatients?

“…Depressive and manic states did not correlate with any of the measured dimensions of religiosity. The authors suggested that the greater severity and worse prognosis of mixed states may be reasons for an increase in the frequency of private religiosity behavior as a coping strategy (Cruz et al, 2010). Nonetheless, the way that religiosity and spirituality dimensions change with mood swings is poorly understood (Aubin, 2010).…”