Hinduism And Mental Health Assignment

7 page essay on how Hinduism view and treat mental illnesses. It should include 7 pages within the body of the paper with 3-5 references (at least two article/book references).

Paper MUST be in APA format 6th edition, and include title page, abstract, citation page and references.

I have done extensive research and uploaded files that could be used AND CITED on the paper. but you are free to use any reliable sources that you can find

Psychiatrists holding religious beliefs have perhaps traditionally been seen as outliers of the profession. Recent studies have shown however, that psychiatrists who are also members of the Christian Medical and Dental Society are a highly esteemed group and largely conventional in their use of psychotropic medication for major Axis I disorders. These same individuals, however, advocate the effectiveness of Bible reading and prayer for suicidal ideation, grief, sociopathy and alcohol substance abuse (Galanter et al., 1991).

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Finally, researchers have also found that there is a great disparity between mental health professional’s beliefs and their clinical practice. One example of this disparity is indicated by the fact that 46% would endorse the statement ‘my whole approach to life is based on my religion’, yet only 26% would feel that religious content was ‘important in the treatment of all or many’ of their clients (Bergin & Jensen, 1990).

Conclusion

While psychiatrists represent a broad range of opinions and clinical practices, generally, psychiatrists are not representative of the general population in their religious/spiritual beliefs.

Myth 2. ‘We know why psychiatrists are different’

Many factors may play into the “religiosity gap” of mental health professionals. Selection bias is certainly possible in at least two directions. First, it may be possible that people who are less religious are attracted to psychiatry or other mental health Ž elds as an alternative striving for purpose and meaning in life or as an alternative paradigm for understanding of human behaviour. Secondly, it is quite possible that religious people meet opposition in selecting mental health Ž elds. Although there is some evidence that representation in psychiatry is improving (Larson & Larson, 1992; Roskes et al., 1998; Sansone et al., 1990;Waldfogel et al., 1998) other studies have shown possible bias against accepting individuals who have an interest in religion and spiritual topics into graduate programmes and/or integration of those beliefs into practice (Gartner, 1986).

Physicians accepted into training are exposed to many different educational in uences.The Ž rst obvious impact on a professional’s body of knowledge would be through the reading of the most respected professional literature in the Ž eld such as textbooks.A study of psychology textbooks found that there were predominately explicit or implicit suggestions of religious psychopathology, and the discussions were almost exclusively of religious cult phenomena. The study went on to Ž nd that the amount of empiric evidence to support these discussions was very limited and potentially biased (Lehr & Spilka, 1989).While discussions of psychopathology of religiosity are absolutely necessary, there is conspicuous absence of writing on traditional religious beliefs, practices and their potential benefit. SimilarlyHinduism And Mental Health Assignment

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disregarded is the potential impact of these activities with regard to deŽ nition of self, individual or family psychological in uence or even social in uence.

Physicians in training are also clearly in uenced by the diagnostic nomen- clature. Clearly, signiŽ cant gains regarding religiosity and spiritual sensitivity have been made with the new DSM-IV; however, the DSM-III R has been found to be quite biased against religious and spiritual topics (Larson et al., 1993). Professional newsletters have held active discussions regarding the potential to label a belief in God (a belief held by 95% of the population) as ‘delusional’ (Gutheil, 1990; Harter, 1990)

Professional organizations also contribute to professional development in a very signiŽ cant way. Recently the APA adopted an ofŽ cial statement on the potential ‘Con ict Between Religious or Ideologic Commitment and Psychiatric Practice’ (see appendix) which has helped to remind us to not only be ‘respectful’ of patients beliefs, but has also bound us to not ‘impose a system of belief’ on others (American Psychiatric Association Ethics Committee, 1990). Clearly, the APA’s statement was issued in an attempt to protect against overzealous inclusion of religiously/ spiritually coercive practice. In careful consideration of the complex boundary issues and ethical considerations of the imbalance of power in the therapeutic relationship, the physician is appropriately cautioned (Coyle, 1999a).

However the statement is not as sophisticated or inclusive as it could be. Although not stated as such, there is a strong implication that the profession has been cleansed of all coercive identity. This is far from reality. While we may fall slightly short of “imposing” a belief in psychopharmacologic or psychotherapeutic beneŽ t, such coercive practice in the name of what is perceived as being beneŽ cial to the patient is daily practice (Post et al., 2000). Indeed it is our professional and ethical mandate in most clinical situations to enthusiastically advocate for these effective treatments (Beaucham & Childress, 1994; Dagi, 1995; Emmons, 1999). We practice daily with a legal mandate to impose the belief that patients must not take their own or another’s life. Few would argue for the removal of the professional’s role in coercively imposing such beliefs.We generally think it is ‘right’ to do so and a failure to do so would be deŽ cient practice.

Furthermore, the statement speaks to the preclusion of ‘subsit(uting religious) beliefs or ritual for accepted diagnostic concepts or therapeutic practice’. Again it is not expressly stated but the implication to many readers may be that there are no religious beliefs or rituals that are beneŽ cial. (More discussion in myth 6 below.) In both of these situations, what is not said and the very nature of how the statement is constructed is evidence of a subtle belief that there is nothing of substance in religious or spiritual practice to offer for the psychiatric patient.This certainly may in uence the beliefs of the psychiatric professional.Hinduism And Mental Health Assignment