For psychologists: how is a person's spiritual belief system considered when making a diagnosis...?

Question

...of menatl illness? For exmaple, while there are dangerous extremes to every belief system, could a true belief be misdiagnosed? If a person sincerely believes that dreams provide inner guidnace, and makes healthy choices based on messages received, that is definitely outside of the cultural "norm". Yet is it indicative of an illness? Some might interpret it as a sign of immature thinking processes; others would say it is a healthy use of intuition. Where do clinicians draw the line?

Answer 1

Clinicians draw the line where a person's beliefs interfere with healthy living, or go against reality in a dangerous way. Most clinicians are very accepting of a person's spiritual beliefs, and won't question or even address them unless they appear to be disturbing in some way. If beliefs do get in the way of health, most clinicians will refer the person to the appropriate counselor in his or her faith.

Answer 2

I'm not a psychologist but I have a lot of experience with the phenomenon of spiritual emergency. This is where strange thoughts, strange physical symptoms and shifting reality all occur in a person as a result of expanded spiritual awareness. Often this is diagnosed and treated as a mental condition when it's not.

In the DMV IV, the medical bible of diagnostic symptoms, spiritual emergence is now included so doctors have reference to recognise that some apparently mental illness symptoms may in fact be a more spiritual experience. These are welcome experiences to be explored and enjoyed rather than medicated and feared.

Answer 3

Some dreams do help with inner guidance if you can translate them properly. I don't think a psychologist would disagree with you. it is not indicative of an illness.

Answer 4

We draw the line where a person's beliefs result in dysfunction and/or distress. We try to be respectful of a person's beliefs, whether they are mainstream or not, and rarely judge them unless they are resulting in functional difficulty.