Your Spiritual Beliefs Aren’t a Suitable Substitute For Real Mental HealthCare
Spiritual beliefs can be an important part of finding who you are, but a line is crossed when it’s used to bypass serious mental health issues.
Browsing through a social media platform the other day, I was served up 3+ ads for spiritual mental wellness retreats. Digging a bit deeper, I discovered that some of these retreats promised magical things. Come with us for 7 days of rest and we’ll give you peace. Struggling with your mental health? Surely 14 days in Alicante will dissolve that anxiety you’re feeling?
I couldn’t help but feel as though these “spiritual resorts” were promising a big ask. It reminded me of the big promises made by cult leaders like Teal Swan.
That’s the real danger with a lot of wider spiritual practices. Rather than encouraging a well-rounded, fully human experience, they push people to seek solutions that don’t fully meet their needs. More often than not, it boils down to spiritual bypassing. Devotees and faithful are encouraged to look past the ills of this world and the real physiological ills that feed their poor mental health.
