1424 – Postsecular Psychiatry

Abstract

The renaissance of religion and religious influence on secular events in the beginning of 21th century and postsecular atmosphere has launched a process of desecularization of psychiatry. It can best be seen through the changes in attitude towards spiritual and religious in the process of patients’ evaluation, quality of life assessment, respect for the spiritual needs of patients in the process of clinical treatment, and objective consideration of the phenomenon of religiosity by psychiatrists and other mental health professionals. Without the ambition to precisely explain and define this notion, the basic sketch of what a postsecular psychiatry is and what it is not will be outlined in this paper. The goal is to open a professional debate over the issue, which would contribute that psychiatry, despite the ongoing challenges and provocations, maintains its essence as a medical discipline and adequately respond to all the needs of its patients, including those related to spirituality and religion. Overcoming rigid secular framework, psychiatry becomes more human and more close to human. In this way, psychiatry does not lose its “scientific component” because the effects of spirituality, beliefs or religious practices on mental health can be scientifically investigated without crossing the boundaries between the natural and spiritual sciences. Although people often consider that science and religion contradict each other, these are by their very nature convergently moving towards the meeting point even if it is located at infinity.