Return of the sacred: Psychiatry's evolving relationship with spirituality.
Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists June 5, 2026 Osama Bhatti, Mohammad Qasim Latifi
Psychiatry has long held an ambivalent stance toward religion and spirituality, recognizing their importance but remaining cautious about integrating them into clinical practice. This article examines the historical, conceptual, and clinical tensions surrounding spirituality in psychiatry, particularly in light of renewed interest from contemporary psychedelic research. The authors discuss definitions, diagnostic categories, and evidence linking spirituality and meaning to mental health. They explore how psychedelic-assisted therapies highlight both therapeutic potential and ethical risks in addressing existential suffering. Psychiatry faces a challenging opportunity to incorporate spiritual dimensions of distress without undermining scientific integrity, which will shape its future relationship with the sacred.