2007-11-06 03:08:33 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
They re very similar.
2007-11-06 03:11:39 · answer #1 · answered by Birdy is my real name 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Neither.
I am a professional in the field of psychiatry and it is well documented that having a healthy belief system that is life affirming, gives you hope, comfort and peace of mind is a GOOD thing and contributes to mental well being.
However I will say, that people who are susceptable to certain mental illnesses are often made worse by certain religious beliefs if they:
- prevent the person from being properly treated and choose superstitious cures instead
- exaggerate the person's feelings of paranoia about the world
- exaggerate the person's fears of danger i.e. telling someone with paraniod anxiety, schizophrenia etc that demons are all around them, out to get them can actually accentuate and feed their existing delusions
- exaggerate feelings of superiority and extreme invincibility or persecution
Usually the TYPES of religions that tend to do this are more extremist and fanatical in their approach.
2007-11-06 11:26:18 · answer #2 · answered by pixie_pagan 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, people are generally socialized into religion. (Which suggests that insanity does not lead to religion, unless there is a higher rate of conversion among the sanity challenged. However it could lead to higher level of religiosity...)
But I'm not sure there has been a study conducted of the mental hospitals and the religions of the patients. So I cannot make any assumption about the causation or correlation of insanity.
2007-11-06 11:12:36 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Religion does lead to mental sickness of all kinds. Those that are mentally sick are drawn to religion. Think of mental sickness as a continuum. At one end is absolutely mentally sick and the other is perfectly mentally healthy. No one is perfectly mentally healthy (we all can use some help to that end) and even a raven maniac is not completely irrational, illogical and un-scientific. The more religious a person is the greater the shift to the mentally sick end of the scale they are.
2007-11-06 11:22:00 · answer #4 · answered by gdc 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well there certainly is a mental disorder related to religion.it's called hyper religiosity.So religion could lead to insanity in that way.
2007-11-06 11:15:50 · answer #5 · answered by vibratorrepairman 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Religion can definatly cause insanity. Many christians have gone off the deep end when contemplating dying and going to hell.
2007-11-06 11:15:58 · answer #6 · answered by confederate_outlaw 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it is called brain-washing. anyone can get a man to think he's a cabbage with enough teaching and stimulus so why not make one believe he is a soldier of god? people are led by brain-washing. it does not take insanity. what is insane is someone that knows the truth and says nothing but continues to lead more and more astray with the same religious nonsense.
2007-11-06 11:17:29 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think you are confusing the word insanity with other much more appropriate words such as delusional, blinkered and ignorant.
So in answer to your question I would say, not usually.
2007-11-06 11:18:41 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
No, religion can cure insanity, Having no religion can cause insanity, especially if possessed by demons. Woooh!
2007-11-06 11:17:18 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Religion can be disturbing. But I have a "real thriving relationship" - not religion - with the God of the Universe and His Son, Jesus Christ. SO very very different dear one I pray you find Truth - Jesus Christ - you will have abundant life - it is so amazing. Blessings.
2007-11-06 11:12:43 · answer #10 · answered by jworks79604 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Neither causes the other. But they are both very real. They are similar in their extreme forms.
2007-11-06 11:14:57 · answer #11 · answered by paula r 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋