Beliefs and health
Many individuals have religious or spiritual beliefs that contribute to their health. Religion or spirituality could be important as you cope with your injury.
The relationship between spirituality and longevity
Studies have shown a relationship between spirituality and longevity, involving a sense of wholeness, meaning, and purpose, as well as a positive association for mental health. Possible pathways to healing through spirituality include improved health and wellbeing and an ability to make meaning from events, process experiences, and establish and maintain a healthy social network.
Spiritual difficulties and struggles after an injury
People often experience spiritual difficulties and struggles after an injury. In particular, returning service members may experience difficulties because of incidents involving death or harm to civilians or fellow service members, combat versus other traumatic exposures, violence within ranks, moral injuries, atrocities, and betrayals.
Examples of spiritual difficulties and struggles that all people may experience include unprocessed grief and loss, self-loathing, loss of faith, a need for forgiveness, isolation, guilt, serious doubts about the role and existence of a deity, disconnection from faith, and feeling unsure of the role of religion.
Returning to your place of worship
Returning to your place of worship may be harder than you think. Reenter places of worship casually without pressure by being aware of crowds, being patient with yourself and others, offering and receiving love, and being open-minded.
Consider developing a spiritual practice outside of the regular ways. Find a spiritual practice that you can do by yourself or with a loved one or other support person, such as prayer, meditation, breathing exercises, spending time in nature, etc. Establish a practice that allows you time to reflect and refresh. Maintain or reestablish connection with your faith community. Talk with a counselor, friend, pastor, clergy member, or chaplain about your struggles.
Talking with a chaplain
If religion or spirituality is important to you as you cope with your injury, consider how much strength do you get from your spirituality or religion right now. Talking with a chaplain can help guide you towards utilizing those strengths in your coping. Or if not, a chaplain can help you to explore possible spiritual resources that may help.
Common topics that chaplains can help with include:
- Struggling with the meaning of injury or illness
- Having spiritual or religious concerns or questions
- Grieving over a loss, such as a disability, life transition, death in the family, or loss of friend
- Anxiety about your condition or treatments
- Wishing to receive prayer, ceremony, or readings
- Facing difficult decisions
- Wanting to reflect on spiritual issues and concerns
- Wishing to celebrate and give thanks for results and positive outcomes
- Wishing to receive a visit from a clergy member, priest, imam, or rabbi from the community to perform specific rites or ceremonies
- Requesting a Bible, Tanahk, Koran, prayer book, prayer rug, rosary, or other religious material