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December 10, 2008, 3:22 am
Flag as Inappropriate DanaS  

I have some friends who are fervently religious. To say the least, they are not the most stable mentally, and one has to wonder. Does mental illness lead one to a controlling and out there faith, or does the faith push one to the illness?

Mental illness can definitely make a person obsess regarding matters of religion and faith. I also believe that faith in the wrong things can lead to mental illness.

Sudden religious fervour is a common occurrence during periods of mania in bipolar disorder. I would have to wonder myself if I had friends in this situation.

Mental illness can lead one to a controlling or unusual faith, definitely. I don't believe any faith causes mental illness except may PTSD after a really bad experience.

Mental illness is one thing but what sticks out for me when I first read this was those who fast for days on end. I remember in high school a friends parents would end up fasting for a few days (3 or 4), the adults did, the teens at the time only did for like a day or so and the son always got sick from it.

Fasting is not only used in religious rites, but for medical reasons. That said, if fasting is not administered properly that one can be sick from it.I had to do a ulcer test some time ago that I had to fast and afterward I had to gradually introduce something warm to my stomach then a softer kind of food, then eventually adapt to my normal diet. This way, the stomach is not shocked with the sudden reintroduction of food.

Its a fine line really-religions that require long periods of fasting, well it could be dangerous. I'm not sure that such things should be encouraged, and in fact they seem somewhat worrying to me.