{"id":701,"date":"2022-05-09T03:08:03","date_gmt":"2022-05-09T03:08:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogschapman.wpenginepowered.com\/fish\/2022\/05\/09\/mental-health-spirituality\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T22:07:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T22:07:14","slug":"mental-health-spirituality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/fish\/2022\/05\/09\/mental-health-spirituality\/","title":{"rendered":"Spirituality Boosts Your Mental Health"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Spiritual Wellbeing Is Mental Wellbeing<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

More than 50% of Americans will experience a mental health crisis at some point in life. Unlike with the COVID virus, there is no vaccine to immunize us against mental illness. I know this from personal experience. As a college student and later as a young adult, I struggled with my mental wellbeing. I know all too well how stressful, overwhelming, and anxiety producing it is for many college students \u2014especially during the past couple years when so many have experienced unrelenting challenges and change.<\/p>\n

With May as Mental Health Awareness Month<\/a>, we here at the Fish Interfaith Center strive to support your mental health and spiritual wellbeing. We believe that your mental wellbeing is deeply connected to your spiritual wellbeing.<\/p>\n

Yet, many young adults come to us feeling mentally and spiritually broken\u2014lacking a sense of belonging, and struggling to respond to and connect with others due to empathy fatigue and emotional numbing. We remain committed to support you on your journey of self-exploration, inspiring you to flourish at college and beyond.<\/p>\n

Cultivating Your \u201cSpiritual Brain\u201d<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

A growing body of research is beginning to reveal a remarkable feature about the developing brains of young adults. Between the age of 18-25, we experience a \u201cbiological clock\u201d for spiritual wellbeing, igniting a surge to seek life\u2019s greatest truths. This \u201cspiritual brain<\/a>\u201d is hard-wired for existential and spiritual emergence that can often bring about emotional struggle\u2014even developmental depression and anxiety.<\/p>\n

Last month, colleagues and I presented at Columbia University\u2019s \u201cSpirituality, Mind, Body\u201d Institute<\/a>. The theme was \u201cspirituality & mental health on college campus.\u201d The conclusion from the conference is that the mental health crisis rampant on college campus exposes a pervasive and fundamental \u201cspiritual and existential crisis\u201d among young adults, who are struggling to seek a sense of meaning and ultimate purpose in life.<\/p>\n

The emerging \u201cscience of spirituality\u201d reveals how spirituality is foundational to fostering adult whole-person development. An integral component of any mental health and wellness initiative must include programs that foster spiritual growth.<\/p>\n

Research equally affirms how nurturing your spiritual identity generates greater empathy, compassion, and tolerance. They appear to be developed neurocognitive skills, deepened by reflective inquiry and spiritual practice that can be imprinted into the brain to advance resilience and wellbeing at school and in life.<\/p>\n

Growing from Grief, Transforming from Trauma<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Adversity and suffering are an invitation for spiritual growth<\/a>. As a young adult, I was taught to believe that failure and setbacks are to be avoided. The contrary now holds to be true. Grief, loss, and crisis are undeniable elements of the human experience. The concept of \u201cpost-traumatic growth\u201d reveals how we can experience resilience from adversity and suffering. It is often not easy. But the effort is worth the reward. Cultivating your spiritual identity and examining the inner terrain of your being fortify your spiritual brain.<\/p>\n

A recently published article outlines some of the many positive aspects of spirituality on mental health. These include:<\/p>\n