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Mental Health Wiki > Depression > Treatments for depression > Complementary and lifestyle treatments for depression > Prayer
PrayerFrom $1Table of contentsWhat is prayer?Prayer is a means by which believers attempt to communicate with the absolute. Prayer has traditionally been used in times of illness and is often used by the public to help cope with mental health problems. People can pray for themselves or to ask for healing for another person. How is it meant to work?The religious explanation of prayer is that a supreme being responds to the prayer with a miracle of healing. However, there have been non-religious explanations as well. One is that prayer is a placebo treatment in which the expectation of healing produces the benefit. Another explanation, which applies to praying for another person, is the “non-local mind theory”. This proposes the non-separateness of human beings. Human consciousness operates beyond the physical location of the person who is praying, to have healing effects everywhere at once. Does it work?One study has been carried out looking at the effects of praying for a person who is depressed. Twenty depressed patients who were receiving psychological therapy were divided into two groups. One group was prayed for and the other not. To overcome expectations of healing, neither group knew whether or not they were prayed for. Some symptoms of depression improved more in the group that was prayed for, but other symptoms did not. However, the small number of patients studied limits any conclusions. Are there any risks?None are known. RecommendationThere is not enough evidence to say whether or not prayer works for depression. ReferencesConnerley, CR. Distant intercessory prayer as an adjunct to psychotherapy with depressed outpatients: a small-scale investigation. Unpublished PhD thesis, Union Institute and University, Cincinnati USA; 2003. |