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17 - Stigma and Mental Health in the Abrahamic Religious Traditions

from Part III - Stigma and Mental Health in Specific Contexts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2022

By
Lily A. Mathison ,
Russell Jackson  and
Nathaniel G. Wade
Edited by
David L. Vogel  and
Nathaniel G. Wade
David L. Vogel
Affiliation:
Iowa State University
Nathaniel G. Wade
Affiliation:
Iowa State University
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Summary

This chapter examines the intersection of stigma and mental health in certain sects of Abrahamic religious traditions (including sects of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism). Research has shown people in many religious communities underutilize mental health services. Although there are numerous reasons for this underutilization, the stigma against mental health professionals and treatment in religious communities – religious mental health stigma – and the historical antagonism of psychologists against religious communities are two major reasons. This chapter reviews these factors and discusses how religious communities and mental health professionals can bridge the schism between their groups. We argue that by understanding the needs of religious communities, working within their worldviews, and engaging in respectful ways, psychological researchers and clinicians can build bridges that surmount stigma and other barriers and promote the best care for people in need.

Keywords

religious mental health stigmaAbrahamic religionshelp-seeking stigmamental illness stigma
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Stigma and Mental Health , pp. 347 - 366
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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