Mental Health and Faith

Mental illness, like physical illness, can happen to anyone. We don’t blame someone’s faith when they have diabetes, headache, injury, or a broken leg. But when it comes to depression or anxiety, we suddenly assume that the problem is spiritual weakness.

Common sayings in Kashmir

There are many proverbs and phrases in our society that reflect this mindset:

“Yeli ne cxe imanaae chu, ave chu depression”

(Your faith is weak, that’s why you have depression.)

“Cxe chune khudayas peth bharosae”

(You don’t trust Allah.)

“Yeli ne namaze pareith, adee kya gase?”

(When you don’t pray, that’s why you are feeling all this?)

“Yus namaz paraan chu, temis chune depression gassaan”

(One who prays cannot get depressed.)

Spirituality and Mental Health: A Psychological Perspective from Kashmir

Spirituality is widely regarded as one of the core coping mechanisms individuals adopt when dealing with stress.

In Kashmir, faith is a part of everyday life, shaping not just culture but how people understand and process their emotions. During times of distress, individuals often turn to spiritual practices such as prayer, Qur’anic recitation, and belief in Taqdeer (destiny). These practices are not only devotional but they provide comfort, ease emotional pain, and help people find strength and hope to carry on through difficult times.

In psychological terms, this is called emotion focused coping where people manage stress not by changing the situation itself, but by regulating their emotional response to it, finding peace, reassurance, and resilience through their faith and spiritual beliefs (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984).

Linking to Psychological Theories

This approach reflects what is described in psychology as emotion focused coping; a strategy where individuals deal with challenges by managing their emotions instead of trying to change the situation itself (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984).

This is also connected to logotherapy, a theory developed by Viktor Frankl (1946), which emphasises that people survive suffering by finding meaning in it. In Kashmiri culture, that meaning is frequently tied to religious beliefs whether through acceptance of divine will (Taqdeer) or hope for relief in the Akhirah (hereafter). As reflected in sayings:

“Tati de khuda ath sabras phal”

However, this integration of spirituality and mental health often gives rise to a false dichotomy: the assumption that people with strong faith cannot face mental health struggles, or that those who do, must be weak in their spirituality.

The Qur’an itself validates emotional struggle.

“Do not be sad; indeed, Allah is with us” (Qur’an 9:40)

Revealed during the Prophet’s ﷺ migration, acknowledging fear and sadness as real emotions.

“And his eyes turned white from sorrow, for he was suppressing his grief” (Qur’an 12:84): describing Prophet Yaqub’s emotional suffering over the loss of his son.

These verses give us the idea that Islam acknowledges psychological distress not as a failure of belief but as part of the human condition.

Conclusion

Spirituality is a psychologically supported coping mechanism, deeply rooted in Kashmiri cultural responses to suffering. While it provides strength and meaning, it should not be used to judge who may or may not suffer from mental illness. Mental health is not the absence of faith, and faith is not always a shield against emotional suffering.

It’s important to understand that a person can be deeply spiritual and still need help, and there’s no shame in that. It is essential to build a community where no one is left to carry their burdens alone, and where faith and mental healthcare work together.

“True strength lies in holding on to faith while having the courage to seek help when the heart is heavy.”