Helpful publications that spell out some of the connections between spirituality and mental health include the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ online booklet. This contains a definition of spirituality as involving experiences of

·         a deep-seated sense of meaning and purpose in life

·         a sense of belonging

·         a sense of connection of ‘the deeply personal with the universal’

·         acceptance, integration and a sense of wholeness.

It (re)minds us that people with mental health problems have asked for:

·         meaningful activity

·         to feel safe and secure

·         to be treated with dignity and respect

·         to feel that they belong, are valued and trusted

·         time to express feelings to members of staff

·         the chance to make sense of their life, including illness and loss

·         permission / support to develop their relationship with God or the Absolute.

And that through having spirituality in their lives, service users have gained:

·         better self control, self esteem and confidence

·         faster and easier recovery (often through healthy grieving of losses and through recognising their strengths)

·         better relationships – with self, with others and with God / creation / nature

·         a new sense of meaning, hope and peace of mind. This has allowed them to accept and live with their continuing problems.

The full booklet can be downloaded from:

http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinfo/treatments/spirituality.aspx

Recovery and Staying Well

Link to recovery / staying well pointers that we can all benefit from, can be found on Kent and Medway Trust website:

http://www.kmpt.nhs.uk/Recovery-self-help.htm

We welcome contributions to this page about your experiences of spirituality and mental health, where these may have something to offer other people. Please submit any writings, pictures, poems, ideas to: info@mhspirituality.org.uk Inclusion on the website is at the discretion of the Forum.