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Spiritual bypassing and its danger to mental health

Kendra Cherry on Verywellmind describes spiritual bypassing as a tendency to use spiritual explanation to avoid complex psychological issues. My main issue with spiritual bypassing is the notion that one's struggle with mental health is a result of not practicing religion or spirituality enough. It is no surprise that when a person is going through a tough time they lean more on their spirituality and there is nothing wrong with that. However, it has come to my attention over the years how people use spirituality to deflect their trauma.

Deflecting trauma
Our brains work in amazing ways the human body is built to be sufficient. Our brain will block out certain events because it is trying to protect us from psychological stress. Spiritual bypassing is a way the self-harm or to promote harmony between people mentions Cherry. Spirituality is a force that helps an individual well-being however spiritual bypassing does not resolve the issue it merely glosses over the problem. Facing your trauma is not easy trust me it is very difficult to come to terms with trauma. Especially if the trauma is caused by people we are supposed to trust. Addressing our trauma often means confrontation and having a severe introspection into our lives. Addressing trauma also means making a change and humans are afraid of change.

An unhealthy coping mechanism
Spiritual bypassing is an unhealthy coping mechanism as it leads to avoidance. Over time the repressed emotions can manifest into physical symptoms, mental health issues, or lead to emotional outbursts and instability. Like any unhealthy coping mechanism, it helps you escape or be distracted for a certain time which can lead to a distorted perception of one's reality. This can look like hallucinations or believing that you are being bewitched. This will result in poor decision making and an inability to engage effectively with real-world challenges and relationships.

Adding salt to the wound
Spiritual bypassing can result in Religious Trauma Syndrome (RTS) where previous negative religious experiences compound the effects of trauma. This can make healing more complex and necessitates a careful nuanced approach to both the trauma and the religious context. For example, the church is a source of trauma for a lot of people as their churches condoned abuse, homophobia, sexual misconduct, etc. For most people, religion is a system of rules and perfection so when someone tells you that they are struggling with mental health and you tell them to pray think about it twice.

Overdependence on spiritual leaders
I have heard many stories from people where their parents gave away their retirement and life savings to spiritual leaders. There is a risk of becoming overly reliant on spiritual leaders or communities for guidance and validation. This dependence can prevent individuals from developing their coping strategies and may lead to disillusionment if the guidance is received to be ineffective. Spiritual leaders are also humans and humans are not perfect. This also makes vulnerable individuals susceptible to exploitation by spiritual leaders who may take advantage of their trauma for financial, emotional, or other gains.

While spirituality and religion can play a positive role in providing support and a sense of meaning, they must be integrated with other therapeutic approaches to ensure a holistic and effective healing process. Recognizing the limitations and potential pitfalls of using spirituality as a sole coping mechanism is essential for fostering genuine recovery and well-being.
Till next time, Cheers!
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