CREST.BD Spirituality & Bipolar Disorder Slides

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CREST.BDBipolar Wellness Center Webinars
Connect. Learn. Engage.

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Bipolar Wellness Center Webinars
Connect. Learn. Engage.CREST.BD
Spiritual

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Connect. Learn. Engage.CREST.BDCREST.BD
Spiritual
Featuring: Victoria Maxwell
CREST.BD Member,
Owner of Crazy for Life Co.,
Mental Health Speaker,
Actor and Writer
@Victoria_BPP

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Webinar focus
Defining spirituality/religion
Why spirituality may be important to your QoL
Spirituality and BD
How you can take action

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Something an individual finds sacred or
awe-inspiring
Inside or outside of formal religious practice

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Spirituality can be expressed in many ways, such as:
• acts of compassion
• deep reflection, contemplation, meditation or prayer
• engaging with and enjoying nature
• reading of poetry, literature, spiritual teachings, etc.
• engaging in creative activities
• belonging to a faith tradition or community
• maintaining relationships with high levels of trust and
intimacy
The Royal College of Psychiatrists, Spirituality and Mental Health, http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinformation/
therapies/spiritualityandmentalhealth.aspx, accessed June 2006

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Can support:
• learning and growth in difficult situations
• ability to cope with illness
• feelings of connection, compassion and
belonging with the universe
Why could spirituality be important to QoL?

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Research has identified two styles of spiritual/religious
practice1
:
• Positive style of coping
❒❒ More common
❒❒ Can be a source of comfort, compassion, direction and
growth
• Negative style of coping
❒❒ Less common
❒❒ Can be a source of guilt, close-minded thinking, blame or
fear
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Stroppa, A., & Moreira-Almeida, A. (2013). Religiosity, mood symptoms, and QoL in BD. Bipolar Disorders, 15(4): 385-
393.

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Spirituality may have positive benefits for mental,
emotional and even physical wellbeing2,3,4
:
• providing social support and sense of belonging
• increasing emotional resilience
• lowering blood pressure and promoting exercise
• reducing risk of suicide
• reducing substance misuse
2
Ellison, C. G., & Levin, J. S. (1998). The religion-health connection: Evidence, theory, and future directions. Health
Education & Behavior, 25(6): 700-720.
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Taylor, S. E. (1989). Positive illusions: Creative self-deception and the healthy mind. New York: Basic Books.
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Koenig, H. G., McCullough, M. E., & Larson, D. B. (2001). Handbook of religion and health. Oxford; New York: Oxford
University Press.

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But there are possible challenges around spirituality
• Some spiritual beliefs don’t agree with medical
advice and treatment5
• Some systems of belief can make people feel bullied
or discriminated against6
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Mitchell, L., & Romans, S. (2003). Spiritual beliefs in BD: Their relevance for illness management. Journal of Affective
Disorders, 75: 247–257.
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Pargament, K.I. (2007) Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy. New York: Guildford Press.

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Spirituality and BD
Hyper-religiosity:
• can be a symptom of BD
• can make you question the “reality” of your spiritual
experiences7
Spiritual ideas can be intense in times of mania or
depression
• Can represent an early warning sign
• Can be confusing when experienced in a mood episode
• Can be complicated by cultural factors
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Michalak, E. E., Yatham, L. N., Kolesar, S., & Lam, R. W. (2006). BD and QoL: A patient-centered perspective. QoL
Research, 15(1): 25-37.

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Spirituality is personal – no ‘right’ way to practice!
• Ask what keeps you going in hard times
• Learn about a variety of spiritual organizations
• Look at your inner resources and outside
supports
• Consider mindfulness

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Openly discussing spiritual matters with your
supports may help:
• increase understanding
• develop a holistic recovery plan
• healthcare providers and spiritual
advisors to work collaboratively

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Tools and Resources

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Conversations on Religion and Mental Illness
(YouTube Channel of Dr. Nancy Kehoe, Harvard)
Brief discussions about spirituality in the context of mental
health challenges with a variety of guest speakers such as
clergy, spiritual leaders and healthcare providers.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnxEfr-kxZR3C0b4mwGG3JQ/videos
Resources

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Resources:
Healing from Within: Spirituality and Mental Health.
Royal College of Psychiatrists’ paper on spiritual needs and care
as a factor in both symptom relief of mental illness, as well as
general wellbeing.
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/pdf/LarryCullifordHealingSpirituality.pdf

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Spirituality and Mental
Health
Harvard University’s
research on the
relationship between
religion and mental
illness, including a list of
publications for further
reading.
http://projects.iq.harvard.
edu/rshm/spirituality-and-
mental-health
Resources

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For more information and resources,
visit our Bipolar Wellness Center at:
http://www.bdwellness.com/
To assess your quality of life,
visit our QoL tool at:
http://www.bdqol.com/

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Acknowledgments

CREST.BD Spirituality & Bipolar Disorder Slides

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