RT Article
T1 The power of the divine: religion, rituals, and healing in Greece
JF Mental health, religion & culture
VO 23
IS 8
SP 718
OP 732
A1 Dallas, Theodora
A2 Baroutsa, Noelle Marina
A2 Dein, Simon
LA English
YR 2020
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1839007079
AB The present critical review examines the role of religious healing in mental health in Greece. After describing the history of psychiatry in Greece, and the close links between medicine and religion, we discuss the role of various ritual contexts in healing mental distress. Findings suggest that supernatural explanatory models of mental illness, such as the evil eye and spirit possession still appear to be prevalent in many parts of Greece. Despite the availability of mainstream psychology, patients and their families commonly resort to religious healers. The perception is that ritual healing is effective in alleviating symptoms of mental distress. While studies suggest that ritual participation can be efficacious, there is a need for future research to examine the efficacy of religious healing for mental disorders. Ethnographic methods will play a significant role in understanding how ritual attendees perceive healing and biomedical assessments elucidate physiological changes.
K1 ritual healing
K1 Evil Eye
K1 Mental Health
K1 Pilgrims
K1 Psychiatry
K1 Religion
DO 10.1080/13674676.2020.1825363