How Can I Develop a Healthy Mind? 3 Mental Health Benefits of Spirituality

Statistics about the rise of depression and anxiety are startling. The World Health Organization’s data shows that 264 million people around the world suffer from depression. Many other people struggle with less debilitating conditions like burnout, chronic stress, and loneliness. But there is a powerful way for us to strengthen and protect our brains. The answer: practicing spirituality each day.

In the past, spirituality was viewed almost as a hobby, something nice to do but not necessary for a healthy life. Science and research now suggest that spirituality is an important path for strong mental and physical health. It’s not just about our spiritual well-being and fulfillment - it also protects our bodies and minds.

Here are 3 mental health benefits of a spiritual path:

1. Deepening your spirituality helps ward off depression and anxiety.

Recent scientific studies show an interesting link between our physical wellness and spiritual connection. People who are spiritual and have a relationship with a higher power have been shown to ward off certain diseases, addictions, and depression while also being more creative, collaborative, innovative, and ethical. Not only does a spiritual connection have incredible benefits to the mind, body, and soul, the deeper your spirituality is, the healthier and more protected you are.

Ask yourself, “How personally important is spirituality to me?” Work on developing your own personal spiritual practice each day to help keep your mind healthy.

2. Strengthening your connection to the Creator helps combat loneliness.

One of the benefits of a spiritual foundation is the revelation that we are all interconnected with everyone else and that we must also rely on others to help us grow. This requires us to be authentic and vulnerable with other people. Many times, we wear masks around other people because we want them to see us a certain way, but this inauthenticity ends up creating distance between us that can lead to loneliness. Our spiritual work helps us remove those masks and take down the walls that prevent real connection.

Additionally, a strong connection to the Creator can give us a deep sense of belonging, which naturally eradicates loneliness. You will never feel lonely if you have a strong connection to the Creator because you know you are never really alone.

3. Challenging yourself spiritually leads to greater effects on your overall wellbeing.

Many people think of spirituality as an important part of their lives, but only when it suits them, is comfortable, or fits into their schedule. While practicing some spirituality is certainly better than nothing, a spiritual practice flourishes most when we push ourselves. The greater you challenge yourself for spiritual growth, the more benefits you will see.

People sometimes study spirituality but still experience sadness or anxiety and think it isn’t working for them. In truth, it just means they need even more. Being a “spiritual person” isn’t enough to reap the benefits of spirituality to their fullest potential - we have to strive for constant growth, introspection, and transformation.

Challenging yourself comes in many forms. It could mean pushing yourself to meditate on days you don’t feel like it, sharing with someone when it’s difficult for you, resisting the urge to gossip, or keeping your anger in check. Ask yourself, “How am I challenging myself daily for the purpose of my spiritual practice?”

There are so many tips and hacks for a healthier life: trendy diets, exercise apps, cold plunges, vitamins, and protein shakes, to name a few. All of these can be beneficial to our well-being, but the most important practice is our spiritual connection to something higher.

There is a power to a spiritual path. A spiritual connection gives you greater abilities to fight off depression, anxiety, loneliness, and other mental health conditions. Spirituality is not just a nice thing to practice, it is a necessity for a happy, healthy life.