Mental Disorder, Meaning-making, and Religious Cognition

Meaning-making plays a central role in how we deal with experiences of suffering, including those due to mental disorder. And for many, religious beliefs, experiences, and practices (hereafter, engagement) play informing this meaning-making. However, crucial facet the relationship between disorder engagement remains underexplored—namely potentially positive effects on (e.g. bipolar increasing sense God’s presence). In what follows, I will present empirical findings from two recent studies mine which shed light extent participants experienced these effects, specific components they fit into their understanding its identity. doing so, draw expand Tasia Scrutton’s Potentially Transformative view (2015a, 2015b, 2020) according disorders may provide opportunities spiritual growth. My results align help deepen an account are spiritually transformative by providing further insight such instances: specifically, symptoms internal external factors often involved, as well and/or affected. After presenting articulating relevance disorder, then address some potential objections theoretical limitations work, before sketching possible promising directions future research.