A Qualitative Study of Religious Beliefs About Mental Health in Nigeria

Introduction
Mental health conditions (MHCs) such as anxiety, depression or psychosis constitute integral aspects of the global health disease burden and are historically construed differently depending on faith or religious context. Notwithstanding, the Nigerian context of religious beliefs about mental health is under-researched. This study explored the beliefs surrounding mental health among community members and practitioners in Nigeria.
Method
The study adopts a qualitative design from a critical realist and social constructionist theoretical lens to explore perceptions about religious beliefs and mental health. A semi-structured interview was employed to collect data from 53 participants (MHPs = 26, LPs = 27; male = 32, female = 21) who were purposively selected from Jos, Zaria, Enugu, and Ado-Ekiti in Nigeria. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results
Four major themes emerged, namely: 1) evil forces and spirits are believed to be causes of MHCs, 2) the beneficial role of religious clerics in healing MHCs, 3) religious healing is a superior form of treatment modality for MHCs, and 4) rebuttal of the effectiveness of religious healing for MHCs.
Conclusion
Religious healing is perceived as a viable alternative to Western biomedical treatment for MHC among study participants. Mental health policy and practice could strengthen avenues and modalities for religious healing, considering its potential benefits in improving the mental health and well-being of religious believers.