Does Faith Help Depression?

Sure, your doctors may tell you that antidepressants will improve your symptoms of depression. But according to new research, being religious may actually be more effective at lifting your spirits. According to one Duke University study, religious depression patients recovered faster than those who were not religious.

However, what is even more interesting is that your symptoms could improve or get worse depending on your religion. ABC News reached out to Patricia Murphy, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Rush University, who said that some denominations can actually do harm to a person’s mental health. “Some congregations teach that depression is a sin,” she said. “That's the reaction they get when they turn to their pastor.”

In fact, they talked to one United Methodist minister who said she had to hide her condition from her church because of the stigma it had for mental illness.

The reason why researchers believe religion helps is that it can provide social support and role models from which to learn from.

Whether you agree with this information or not, this is just one of the alternative treatment methods for depression that researchers are examining. Check back here frequently for more updates on depression research. [ABC News]