Coping Strategies and the Role of Prayer in Mental Health

 Coping Strategies and the Role of Prayer in Mental Health

INTRODUCTION

The process of healing a person from an illness that he suffers either due to physical or psychological/ mental disorders sometimes takes a long time. Drugs do not always necessarily cure the sick. So sometimes the long healing process makes sufferers experience depression, mental fatigue, and loss of hope. This can then make it worse and hinder the healing process of the disease. The success of this long healing process is highly dependent on various supporting factors. One of the supporting factors is spiritual health. In a study that examined several RPA pilots, Joyce found that there was a beneficial relationship between spiritual well-being and depression levels, where religious life or spiritual beliefs were a very significant coping mechanism (Konigsburg, 2022). Coping mechanisms help someone overcome their psychological problems. Coping skills are necessary for every individual to manage and deal with psychological stress. Various coping mechanisms can be used.

For a believer, prayer is a spiritual-religious coping that is very possible while struggling in the healing process. Faith teaches us to rely on God in all things, including dealing with illness. One way that is commonly done by a person to establish a relationship with His creator is through prayer. As a good relationship is built based on communication, someone will communicate with God if he wants a good relationship. Simon Chan wrote that the closeness of a person's relationship with God can be seen from his prayer life (Chan, 2021:17). So it can be said that people who have a good relationship with God must also have a good prayer life. Meanwhile, according to Donald G. Bloesch in Mudak, 2017, the ultimate goal of prayer is not contemplation of God's existence but only self-obedience to God's will and he rejects teaching which says that prayer is one's communion with God. (Mudak, 2017) So it can be said that prayer must be built based on obedience, not just mere needs so that every believer will have a true prayer life and not solely with personal goals. That's why people get frustrated, feel like failures, and feel rejected because of prayers that seem unanswered.

There are views from psychology that oppose the involvement of religious elements in the healing process. Prayers that Christians believe can bring relief, bring healing are contradictory to the field of psychology. Sigmund Freud, Richard Yao, Donald Slot, Book, and many other psychologists think that religion hinders a person's psychological processes.

Researchers conduct research to answer the role of prayer as a spiritual religious coping in a healing process according to the perspective of Christian psychology. It is hoped that this will help the church answer the question of how effective prayer is in the relationship between psychology and religion.

WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH?

Mental health refers to our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. It's important to remember that mental health is just as important as physical health.  

Key aspects of mental health include:

1.      Emotional Well-being: The ability to recognize and manage emotions healthily.

Emotional well-being refers to how we feel and how we handle our emotions. It's a crucial component of overall mental health. People with good emotional well-being can:

• Recognize and understand their emotions: They can identify and name their feelings and understand why they're feeling that way.
• Express their emotions in healthy ways: They can communicate their feelings effectively without resorting to harmful behaviours.
• Manage their emotions: They can regulate their emotions and healthily cope with stress.
• Build and maintain healthy relationships: They can connect with others and form strong bonds.

Signs of emotional well-being include:

• Positive outlook: Feeling optimistic and hopeful about the future.
• Resilience: The ability to bounce back from setbacks.
• Self-esteem: Having a positive view of oneself.
• Satisfaction with life: Feeling content and fulfilled.

2.      Psychological well-being: The ability to think clearly, learn, and grow.

Psychological well-being refers to our cognitive functions and our ability to think clearly, learn, and grow. It's another essential component of overall mental health. People with good psychological well-being can:

• Think clearly and rationally: They can make sound decisions and problem-solve effectively.
• Learn and grow: They are curious and open to new experiences.
• Cope with stress: They can healthily manage challenges and setbacks.
• Feel a sense of purpose: They have a clear understanding of their goals and values.

Signs of psychological well-being include:

• Creativity: The ability to think outside the box and come up with new ideas.
• Curiosity: A desire to learn and explore new things.
• Resilience: The ability to bounce back from setbacks.
• Self-awareness: Understanding one's own thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.

3.      Social well-being: The ability to build and maintain healthy relationships.

Social well-being refers to our ability to build and maintain healthy relationships with others. It's a vital aspect of overall mental health. People with good social well-being can:

• Form strong bonds: They have close and supportive relationships with friends, family, and loved ones.
• Communicate effectively: They can express themselves clearly and listen attentively to others.
• Cooperate and collaborate: They can work well with others to achieve common goals.
• Contribute to their community: They feel a sense of belonging and purpose in their community.

Signs of social well-being include:

• Strong social support: Having a network of people who care about you and support you.
• Positive relationships: Having healthy and fulfilling relationships with others.
• Sense of belonging: Feeling connected to your community and having a sense of purpose.
• Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others.

4.      Spiritual well-being is a broad concept that encompasses our connection to something larger than ourselves. It can involve a belief in a higher power, a sense of purpose or meaning in life, or a connection to nature or the universe.

Key aspects of spiritual well-being include:

• A sense of purpose: Feeling that your life has meaning and significance.
• Connection to something larger: Feeling connected to a higher power, nature, or the universe.
• Inner peace: Experiencing a sense of calm and tranquillity.
• Values and beliefs: Having a set of values and beliefs that guide your life.

Spiritual well-being can be expressed in many different ways, including:

• Religious practices: Participating in religious rituals and ceremonies.
• Meditation and mindfulness: Focusing on the present moment and cultivating inner peace.
• Spending time in nature: Connecting with the natural world.
• Helping others: Contributing to the well-being of others.
• Creative pursuits: Engaging in activities that inspire and fulfil you.

Coping Mechanism

Coping strategies are techniques or behaviours that people use to manage stress, anxiety, or other emotional challenges. They can help individuals to cope with difficult situations and maintain their mental health. There are many different coping strategies, and what works for one person may not work for another. Some examples of coping strategies include:

• Problem-solving: Identifying and addressing the root cause of stress.
• Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT): Challenging negative thoughts and behaviours.
• Relaxation techniques: Practices like meditation, deep breathing, and yoga.
• Social support: Connecting with friends, family, or support groups.
• Exercise: Regular physical activity can boost mood and reduce stress.
• Healthy lifestyle: Ensuring adequate sleep, nutrition, and hydration.
• Mindfulness: Focusing on the present moment without judgment.

By developing effective coping strategies, individuals can better manage stress and improve their overall mental health.

            In facing the pressure of problems or illness, naturally, a person will take coping actions that will help him from the pressure. Each person's coping mechanism strategy can be different, depending on the stressor and personality of each person (Yusuf et al., 2015), namely the first is emotion-focused coping, this coping mechanism focuses on emotional conditions by overcoming pressure by adjusting yourself and diverting attention from the source of the problem. To reduce the negative effects of stressors such as shame, anxiety, fear, grief, or frustration which are usually difficult to control alone, this coping mechanism can be used. Examples of emotion-focused coping include venting, writing, meditating, or praying. Careful attention must be paid to choosing a coping mechanism so that it does not have a negative impact, such as playing excessive games. The second is problem-focused coping, in this mechanism, coping is done by overcoming stress and the root of the problem at once. Efforts are made to protect oneself from threats, either by negotiation, confrontation or by seeking advice from other parties. This mechanism can be done when facing a source of stress that comes from pressure due to work. The third is cognitively focused coping where through this mechanism, someone tries to control the problem and neutralize it.

According to Lazarus and Folkman, they emphasize only problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping only. Where problem-focused coping efforts are made to change stressful situations through problem-solving. While emotion-focused coping is carried out by referring to efforts to change difficult emotions, which is sometimes done by changing the difficult situation cognitively without changing the actual situation (Baqutayan, 2015). Meanwhile, according to Carver, problem-focused coping includes active coping, making plans, restraint coping, seeking social support for instrumental reasons, and emphasizing competitive reasons. Besides that, emotion-focused coping according to Carver can be done by re-interpreting the causes of stress, growing positively, returning to religion, humour, acceptance, and seeking social support for emotional reasons. Carter added that dysfunctional coping focuses on content, emotional outlet, denial, and mental release from drug or alcohol use (Baqutayan, 2015). Referring to the explanations of several experts about coping, it can be seen that religion is part of emotion-focused coping. Because prayer is one of the activities carried out by religious people, it can be ascertained that prayer is a coping mechanism as well.

Donahue (1995) through his research found that there is a positive relationship between religion and mental and physical health. In his research, it was found that regular religious practices such as church attendance, prayer, and reading the Bible are associated with mental health and physical health. It was also found that people who obediently come to worship have a stronger mentality under pressure than people who are not churched (Baqutayan, 2015). This shows that religious activities including prayer can be a coping in one's healing process.

Prayer

The meaning of the word prayer according to the Oxford Dictionary is an earnest petition to God, giving thanks to God (Oxford, 1984: 534). So praying can mean an activity to raise a request to God. According to the Bible-sabda.org dictionary prayer is a service that includes all the attitudes of the human spirit in its approach to God. This means that a Christian can be said to be devoted to God if he worships God, acknowledges God, praises God, and makes requests to God in prayer (Word Bible, n.d.).

While prayer in Greek uses several words, aiteo means to ask, deomai for concrete needs, and there is also erotao which means to appeal freely to the giver (Leon & Xavier, 1990:209-210). Prayer in Greek is προσεύχομαι (proseuchomai), which means to beg, to worship God. So, prayer apart from being a means of praising and worshipping God, through prayer, we can raise our wishes and requests to God.

So, what does the Bible itself say about prayer? 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 “Keep on praying. In everything give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus”. Prayer should be done continuously and in it there is thanksgiving. In Luke 11:8 says, "Even if he does not want to get up and give it to him because the man is his friend, because of his attitude that is not ashamed, he will also get up and give him what he needs". The nature of the prayer in this verse is urgent and earnest. Luke 18:1-8 talks about an unjust judge, and in verse 18 the Lord Jesus said “Will not God give justice to His chosen ones who cry out to Him day and night? And is He stalling before helping them?” In a verse, it is written that God helps people who pray day and night, and God doesn't even linger to help His people.

Many miracles of healing in the Bible are preceded by prayer. James 5:14-16 “If any of you is sick, let him call the elders of the church, so that they may pray for him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer born of faith will save the sick man and God will raise him; and if he has sinned, his sins will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person, if he is confidently prayed for, has great power”. Prayer is also used as a means for believers to ask God for healing.

The Role of Prayer in Mental Health

We need to understand how important the role of prayer is in the healing process. Prayer is the breath of life, a source of strength, and even an answer for everyone who believes in Him (Ariesanita et al., 2023). In Christianity, prayer has an important role in the process of healing both physically, physically, and spiritually. Prayer is considered a personal positive relationship about faith, supplication, and surrender in totality that there is still a God who can help and heal (Mudak, 2017). That is why James 5:16 says that prayer has unlimited divine supernatural powers, so there must be concrete action, namely prayer, and faith. Without praying all will be in vain. We will easily get stressed and depressed so over time it can exacerbate the healing process (Mudak, 2017).

In the New Testament, James also says that prayer is closely related to God, so there is a belief that He is the one who heals through His will (Ariesanita et al., 2023). Prayer functions to reflect on the mind and body of a person who believes in the leading of the Holy Spirit. There was a supernatural result, including a prayer for healing. One of the secrets of all spiritual life is the need to pray with perseverance. This is because, "And the prayer of faith will save the sick man and God will raise him; and if he has sinned, his sins will be forgiven" James 5:15. Prayer is a guide to receiving God's blessings and power and the fulfilment of His promises (Ariesanita et al., 2023).

God's Word itself is the basis for declaring prayer to be the answer to all forms of illness, both physical and psychological. Matthew 11:28 "Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." The weight of life's struggles and the many rules that have been mixed up in the life of modern society, especially in meeting the demands of life's necessities can make humans experience stress (Lubis, 2016). The redemptive work carried out by Jesus Christ on the cross also includes the healing of human diseases that believe. Isaiah 53:4-5;1 Peter 2:24-25 "and because of his stripes we were healed". The Word of God is a guarantee of healing for everyone who believes in the redemption work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Prayer based on faith, and faith based on the word of God will bring physical and psychological healing.

Prayer is generally done by humans to get answers to their life problems. Prayer is the moment a person connects, communicates, and experiences an encounter with God. Through prayer, the believer enters into the experience of the joy of faith and love found in the person of God. Prayer can change the life of a believer, leading him to a transformation to become more like Christ in every aspect of his life (Olyvia et al., 2022). Psychologically, one way to manage stress when facing the pressures of life is with mind management. Everything humans do and say begins with a thought. The need to manage incoming thoughts, through mind management which if done properly and correctly will be able to help facilitate "talk" between the conscious, subconscious, and unconscious minds (Leaf, 2021). So prayer can help us psychologically to do good mind management because basically, prayer is something that is positive and gives hope.

When people of faith pray earnestly, they expect God's mercy to be manifested. True prayer can only be offered by someone who acknowledges their limitations and trusts God's ability to bless them. Through prayer, believers build a relationship of communication with God, which allows them to know God more deeply, rely on Him, and depend completely on Him. It is important to understand the Bible’s truth in the process of knowing God because prayer cannot be separated from the Bible’s truth. As in effective communication, God speaks through His Word, while believers speak to God through prayer (Mudak, 2017). Prayer is a medium for humans to communicate with God. But Bible truth is an absolute thing that must be understood to understand the answer to prayer. Prayer is the gateway to communicating with God. When a person prays, he no longer lives only for himself and relies on his strength, but he builds a close relationship with God. Prayer can provide growth and calm for believers. Prayer plays an important role in maintaining the spiritual stability of believers, even amid anxiety (Costa, 2021). However, the purpose of prayer is not to ensure that every request according to human wishes is granted, or even to change God's will, but to show that we completely surrender ourselves to Him and receive every answer to prayer according to His time, way, and will. It is important to remember that God keeps His promises according to His plan, not solely because of the prayers offered (Yaperson et al., 2021). God's promises are according to God's plan, not man's desires. This understanding can only be obtained when there is an introduction to God's Word that accompanies the prayer that is raised.

Prayer brings believers into a new relationship in God's kingdom. Some people may feel sad or doubt God when their prayers are not answered according to their requests. However, it is important to realize that when we have faith and rely on God in our lives, He will work mightily through the prayers we offer, even when His answers may be different from what we expect. It is important to understand that prayer has power (Alferdi & Rindi, 2022). Faith and correct understanding of the Bible are important factors of success in being able to see answers to prayers. Expecting miracles from prayers that are raised without building true and healthy relationships is a waste.

Prayer, as a spiritual practice, can play a significant role in promoting mental health and well-being. It can provide emotional support, reduce stress, and offer a sense of hope and purpose.

Prayer can benefit mental health, they are

• Emotional Support: Prayer can offer a sense of connection and comfort, especially during difficult times. It can provide a safe space to express emotions and feelings without judgment.

• Stress Reduction: Engaging in prayer can help calm the mind and body, reducing feelings of stress and anxiety. The practice of mindfulness and meditation often associated with prayer can be particularly effective in stress management.

• Hope and Optimism: Prayer can offer hope for the future, even in the face of challenges. It can help individuals develop a positive outlook and believe in a brighter tomorrow.

• Meaning and Purpose: For many people, prayer provides a sense of meaning and purpose in life. It can help individuals find their place in the world and feel connected to something larger than themselves.

• Community and Connection: Prayer can foster a sense of community and connection with others who share similar beliefs. This social support can be invaluable for mental health.

It's important to note that prayer is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment. However, it can be a valuable tool when combined with other coping strategies.

There is no specific method or procedure for praying to get effective prayer. Prayer is not a spell reading and prayer is not just a mere cry for help. Prayer requires a bond of relationship because to be able to see and experience the answer to prayer requires belief in God's love and omnipotence. Which unfortunately can only be owned by people who know their God. Without a deep knowledge of God, it will be difficult to have strong faith. For this reason, building a relationship with God is an absolute thing. And like an endless circle, starting a relationship with God begins with having intimate times with Him through prayer and worship. Keep praying until an intimate relationship has been built through prayers and eventually the unshakable belief in His omnipotence. Once faith is established, the answers to achieve mental and spiritual healing will be provided by God.

Dr. Nicholas Macedon OCD

Carmelite Priory, Oxford.            

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