How Religious Delusions Impact Patients with Schizophrenia

Abstract

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a complex and chronic psychotic disorder characterized by a variety of positive symptoms, including delusions, disordered thinking, and hallucinations. Delusions in SCZ can take on different themes, such as religious, grandiose, or persecutory delusions. The consequences of religious delusions and how mental health professionals tackle them can profoundly affect the results of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. Furthermore, religious delusions may affect a patient's adherence to antipsychotic treatment. While existing literature extensively explores religious delusions in various cultures and identifies associated risk factors in individuals with SCZ, there is a lack of clear strategies for analyzing and managing religious delusions, which can greatly influence a patient's quality of life. Moreover, the relationship between the severity and themes of delusions and overall symptom severity in SCZ patients remains unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the crucial role of religious delusions in patients with SCZ by conducting a review of relevant literature. A search was conducted on PubMed using the keywords "schizophrenia delusion and religion" resulting in a total of 94 studies. Only studies conducted after 1994 were included in the analysis. The findings of this study emphasize that the severity of religious delusions can vary based on specific religious values present in different cultures, such as Christianity or Islam. Psychiatrists and mental health professionals need to be mindful of cultural and religious values, as well as the associated delusions, in order to optimize therapeutic success when choosing treatment approaches.