Spirituality is important, directly and indirectly, in the causation, diagnosis, symptom expression, treatment and prognosis of psychiatric disturbances. Lack of spirituality can interfere with interpersonal relationships, which can contribute to the genesis of psychiatric disturbance. Psychiatric symptoms can have a religious content. For example, the loss of interest in religious activities is a common symptom of depression. Too much and distorted religious practices are common in schizophrenia. It is well recognized that some religious states and experiences are misdiagnosed as symptoms of psychiatric illness. Visions and possession states are examples. The spiritual background of the child will help in the diagnosis of psychiatric disturbance. They are important in the treatment of psychiatric disturbance because spiritual matters can be profitably incorporated in psychotherapy.
Spiritual distress can result after a trauma (such as accident or assault), when bad news is broken, when a situation becomes life threatening or terminal, when bereavement is experienced, when one is isolated and receiving no visitors, and in turn lead to another mental disorder.
