The power of the divine: religion, rituals, and healing in Greece
Mental Health Religion & Culture September 13, 2020 T. Dallas, Noelle Marina Baroutsa, S. Dein 10 citations
Religious healing plays a significant role in mental health in Greece, where supernatural explanations for mental illness, such as the evil eye and spirit possession, remain common. Despite access to mainstream psychology, patients and families often turn to religious healers, perceiving ritual healing as effective for alleviating symptoms of mental distress. While studies indicate ritual participation can be efficacious, more research is needed to examine its efficacy for mental disorders. Ethnographic methods can help understand how attendees perceive healing, and biomedical assessments can reveal physiological changes.