When trauma, spirituality, and mental illness intersect: A qualitative case study.

Spirituality can help people cope with trauma, but little is known about this relationship in those with severe psychiatric disorders, who often have trauma histories and identify as spiritual or religious. In a qualitative study of people with co-occurring psychiatric disabilities and trauma histories, participants used spiritual coping strategies such as prayer, meditation, and spiritual readings. One participant worked through spiritual struggles by shifting from a belief in a punishing God to seeing oneself as part of oneness with humanity. The study also examined meaning-making and posttraumatic growth, noting unique challenges like intrusive ruminations and voices with spiritual themes.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Studies have identified spirituality to be a helpful resource for dealing with various types of trauma experiences. This coincides with a heightened focus on the role of spirituality within trauma-related theory (e.g., spiritual coping, meaning-making, and posttraumatic growth). Little remains known, however, about the relationship between trauma and spirituality among people with severe psychiatric disorders. Meanwhile, a high percentage of those with psychiatric disabilities are known to have trauma histories, whereas a majority self-identify as spiritual and/or religious. Two cases from a hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative study of people with co-occurring psychiatric disabilities and trauma histories are highlighted. Themes related to trauma and spirituality are discussed in-depth. Study participants drew upon a variety of spiritual coping strategies (e.g., prayer, meditation, spiritual readings) to help deal with trauma experiences. Participants additionally experienced spiritual struggles-a detailed account is given of a participant who was able to work through such struggles by shifting to a less self-blaming spiritual worldview (e.g., shifted from believing in a "punishing God" to viewing oneself as part of "oneness with humanity"). The study also examined the meaning-making process and shows how concepts such as global and appraised meaning-making are applicable to people with psychiatric disabilities. Finally, unique challenges related to posttraumatic growth are discussed (e.g., intrusive ruminations and "voices" with spiritual themes). This study offers useful examples of how spirituality and trauma can impact one another, and how people with psychiatric disabilities draw upon spirituality to cope as they strive for recovery. (PsycINFO Database Record