Articles Tagged ‘religion’

Neuroscience & Neurology | By June 15, 2008 | By Jennifer Gibson, PharmD | 14 Comments

God And Religion: Is It All In Our Heads?

Neuroscience and Neurology Category Science will never be able to prove or disprove the existence of God or any higher power. Isn’t this the cornerstone of faith, after all: a belief that needs no proof? Or perhaps, maybe the proof has been in our brains the whole time.

Our perceptions, emotions, and reactions to the world around us begin at birth, and shape our attitudes and interactions throughout our life. Through these beliefs, we learn who to trust, what to expect, and how to cope. The formation of beliefs involves the complex interplay of various areas of the brain. Though the exact mechanisms cannot be clearly defined, scientists know that the formation of beliefs involves physiologic changes in the brain. Studies have shown changes in activity in primitive areas of the brain at varying levels of belief and disbelief, and religious beliefs are no exception. Read more →

Extremist Muslim Doctors Do More Than Heal | May 07, 2008 | 20 Comments

When I initially read the article Radical Muslim doctors and what they mean for the NHS, I thought about the Catholic Church. Now, before anyone gets all upset, let me clarify: I am not in anyway connecting Catholic and radical Muslim ideology. Instead, I see a historical connection between the political... Read more →

The Top Ten Secrets in the Mental Health Field, Part I | February 08, 2008 | 3 Comments

Starting today, I’m going to maintain a list of the ten biggest secrets in the Mental Health field. I humbly request that anyone who feels something is missing (or should be elevated or demoted), please post your opinion. If you have time, please give the rationale. I’ll be writing about... Read more →

Spirituality and Mental Health, Part IV of IV: Health-Centric Spirituality in Psychotherapy | December 05, 2007 | 4 Comments

Consider the spiritual elements that I pointed out from research on spirituality and health in the previous parts of this series. They were: meaning, gratitude, peace, confidence, sense of identity, and acceptance. The somatic (body mind) approaches to psychotherapy, including EMDR, tend to “unlock”... Read more →

Spirituality and Mental Health, Part III of IV: Psychotherapy Beyond Words | November 27, 2007 | 3 Comments

Is there Energy in Psychology? I was conducting debriefing after a workplace suicide. The problems ran far deeper than a single suicide, because it turned out to be symptomatic of a drug culture that pervaded the workplace. A bald-headed man came in and said he was afraid because he had a heart condition.... Read more →

Spirituality and Mental Health, Part II of IV: Spiritually Integrative Neurology | November 21, 2007 | 5 Comments

In this article, we’ll look at some active ingredients of spirituality that are supported by research. Since they turned out to be God-optional, I’ll call this SIN (spiritually integrative neurology). Active vs. Passive: Locus of Control in Spirituality To understand spirituality and health,... Read more →

Spirituality and Mental Health, Part I of IV: Active Ingredients of Spirituality | November 15, 2007 | 3 Comments

These articles are going to cover a lot of ground very fast. Hold onto your hat. Shocking news from the research trenches: It is not enough to just assess patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQL). It is not enough to tell patients the results of the assessment. It is not even enough to discuss... Read more →

Call for Answers from Scientologists | February 28, 2007 | 5 Comments

Our last roundtable incited much commentary on the anti-psychiatry movement, especially from Scientology perspectives. I find that the movement is gaining popularity (at least, online) from circles even beyond followers of the Church. The topic should be intensively discussed to understand all sides... Read more →