Religion, culture and mental health

List of figures p. vii List of tables p. viii Acknowledgements p. ix Note about 'G-d' p. x 1 Introduction p. 1 Some questions p. 1 Definitions of culture, religion and mental health p. 4 How does culture affect the relations between religion and mental health? p. 9 2 Schizophrenia p. 11 Definitions and symptoms, and an overview of causes and relations with religion p. 11 Visions, voices, delusions and schizophrenia p. 15 Spirit possession, demons p. 24 Afro-Caribbean schizophrenia? p. 34 Diagnostic issues p. 39 3 Manic disorder p. 49 Definitions and causes of manic disorder p. 49 Religious factors and manic disorders p. 50 4 Depression p. 55 Definitions, symptoms, causes and relations with religion p. 55 Religious coping beliefs p. 60 Some gender issues: women, religion and depression p. 67 5 Anxiety p. 74 Definitions, symptoms and causes p. 74 The overall anxiety-lowering and anxiety-heightening effects of religion p. 76 Obsessive-compulsive disorder and religion p. 81 Are religious people seen as more anxious? p. 85 6 Somatisation p. 87 Definitions, symptoms and causes p. 87 Between-group variations in somatic and psychological symptoms p. 88 Explanations of these variations p. 96 7 Dissociation p. 105 Definitions and causes of dissociation and dissociative personality disorder p. 105 Religious factors in relation to dissociative states and tendencies p. 107 Religious factors in relation to dissociative personality disorder p. 110 Religious possession and trance states: are they dissociative? p. 118 8 Positive states p. 125 Religion and positive mood: definitions and associations p. 125 Purpose in life, and hope p. 127 Forgiveness p. 132 Authentic happiness p. 136 9 Conclusion p. 140 References p. 142 Index p. 164.