When the going gets tough, the tough turn spiritual. If you have ever gone through a hard time, whether it was big or small, you will have encountered people who hold their spiritual beliefs tightly. But, why? How can being spiritual help you through the dark times? Here are some reasons why it works for some people.
It is not a cure
Let’s get this one straight at the beginning, being spiritual is not a cure for depression, but it can help you navigate how you are feeling. There is a massive overlap in the number of people that are depressed and are spiritual, so there must be something there that is helping people to manage how they are feeling. Although spirituality offers a lot, if you are suffering from any mental health issue, you should speak to your doctor about the options that you have. If you cannot seem to get the help you need, people such as Mike Smeth can offer a lot to help you get back on the straight and narrow with your mental health.
There are many different types
Spirituality is not a one type fits all kind of deal, there are a lot of different practices and types of spiritual paths that you can follow. There are old religions, new age thinking, and everything in between. Don’t be afraid to try out a few different paths and see if any of them work for you. You might be surprised at what area you connect with the most. What is important is to ensure that you don’t offend anyone by pushing your way in on some special spiritual practices that you should not be a part of. Also, be mindful if you are welcome and bow out if you are not.
Deepen the connection with yourself
If there is one thing about spirituality that a lot of people don’t realise, it is that part of the process is diving deeper into who you are. In some circles, this is called shadow work and it should not be dealt with alone. When it comes to diving into that dark part of yourself, you need a group of people who can support you as you pull back the veil and have a hard look at yourself. Some practices do not take part in shadow work because it is hard and messy, but if you do decide that this is the work that you need to do to help your mental health, you should always make sure that you are supported.
It isn’t all woo-woo
A lot of people think that spiritual leaders are people with feathers in their hair who dropped out of school. While some people have done this, there are many more who have qualifications coming out of their ears. Psychology is a big one within the spiritual community as people are battling to see who the human mind works and make sense of the choices that we make. If you know that your mental health is taking you to a dark place and you need more than just spiritual support, look for the psychologists who have a spiritual side and allow them to help you. A lot of psychology and spirituality overlap and can go hand in hand, it is just how we understand and process it might be easier one way or another.
Find your purpose
As you dig into your spiritual work and practices, you might discover that you want a lot more than just your depression to do one. You might discover that you are prepared to work harder to make a better world for yourself and for the people around you. If you have been feeling low because of the state of the world, you don’t want other people to suffer in the same way you do. Spirituality can help you focus on the ways that you can make the world a better place for yourself and for the other people around you. During this process, you might discover your own purpose and how you are supposed to help improve the world. It could be through your art, your stories, or just by showing up to help other people. Finding your purpose can help boost your mental health in many different ways.
They have always been connected
This might come as a shock but spirituality and psychology have always been closely connected. From the early parts of the 20th century when psychology was making a name for itself, there were a lot of influences that came directly from the old tales and legends. It doesn’t take much to link together some of the old theories around how to make your mind better and the old myths that had inspired them. Even today, there are still some psychologists that use the old stories, including the Bible, to help make a point. However, it is not just psychology, there are other areas of science too. Herbalism and botany go hand in hand, as does the care of animals. As you explore your path, you might be shocked to discover the many ways that they overlap each other.
Recognized as helpful
It is always nice when we know that we are doing the right thing, and being spiritual is a great idea for a number of reasons. However, one of the best things about spirituality is that it has been linked in a positive way to helping people. The spiral path that you are on can be a central path of your life, and this should be respected. However, studies have shown that having faith of some kind can help you manage any negative emotions that you might have. If you are working with a professional and they are not respecting your beliefs, you might need to find a new professional to work with you. Having spiritual beliefs has been shown to help healthy people cope with the changes in their life, make sense of what is happening to them, and give them purpose.