Handbook of Spirituality, Religion, and Mental Health

Research has indicated that spiritual and religious factors are strongly tied to a host of mental health characteristics, in both positive and negative ways. That body of research has significantly grown since publication of the first edition of this book 20 years ago. The seconnd edition of the Handbook of Spirituality, Religion and Mental Health identifies not only whether religion and spirituality influence mental health and vice versa, but also how, why, and for whom. Hence 100% of the book is now revised with new chapters and new contributors. Contents address eight categories of mental disorders, as well as other kay aspects of social, emotional, and behavioral health.

• Provides an authoritative, comprehensive, and updated review of the research on positive and negative effects of spirituality/religion on mental health
• Contains dedicated chapters focused on the relevance of spirituality/religion to mood, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, psychotic, eating/feeding, alcohol/substance use, behavioral addictions, and pain-related disorders, as well as marriage/family life, suicidality, and end-of-life-care
• Reviews the research on spiritually integrated psychotherapies, and provides basic clinical guidelines for how to effectively address spiritual/religious life in treatment
• Reviews the neurobiology of spiritual/religious experiences as they pertain to mental health
• Covers all major world religions, as well as spiritual identites outside of a religious context