Anxiety

The NIH National Library of Medicine (www.pubmed.gov)

lists over 1,400 published journal articles on Anxiety, Religion, and Spirituality

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Key Findings

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Incorporating religion into counseling for anxiety and depression has positive benefits.

Most participants (77-83%) preferred including religion and/or spirituality in therapy for anxiety and depression. Participants who thought it was important to include religion or spirituality in therapy reported more positive religious-based coping, greater strength of religious faith, and greater collaborative and less self-directed problem-solving styles than participants who did not think it was important.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21491218/

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Spirituality can help treatment anxiety in cancer patients.

"Depression, anxiety and spirituality in oncology patients." Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira, 2020.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32844942/

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Gender and Sexual Minorities

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Spirituality and self-compassion are associated with reduced anxiety among sexual minority men.

Spirituality and self-compassion have been associated with reduced anxiety in general samples. This study of 697 U.S. sexual minority men found that spirituality was inversely associated with anxiety in this population as well.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35114866/

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Children and Adolescents

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Spirituality and religious involvement could be harnessed to design novel psychological interventions for depression and anxiety in young people.

"Religiosity and spirituality in the prevention and management of depression and anxiety in young people: a systematic review and meta-analysis." Meta-Analysis, BMC Psychiatry, 2023

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37817143/

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Faith-based Pilots

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Peer-Led, Remote Intervention to Improve Mental Health Outcomes Using a Holistic, Spirituality-Based Approach: Results from a Pilot Study

An eight-session healthy culture curriculum focused on improving mental health and spiritual wellbeing found significantly reduced  depression and an increased sense of community, social support, role of religion in health, flourishing, and reduced trouble sleeping.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8475393/

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Spiritual care for prevention of psychological disorders and anxiety in critically ill patients: a randomised controlled pilot trial 

A pilot study to evaluate the preliminary effectiveness in preventing anxiety and depression symptoms and post-traumatic stress disorder in critically ill patients. A total of 30 critically ill adults will be randomly assigned to either spiritual care or the usual care group. 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40180407/
PDF available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8475393/pdf/10597_2021_Article_893.pdf​

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