The Unforeseen Relationship Between Spirituality and Psychiatric Medication: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study

ABSTRACT

In the last 30 years there has been a simultaneous rise in psychiatric medication use and in the numbers of people seeking to address spiritual issues in mental health treatment. To date, there is little research into perceptions of how these two factors interact. This study explores the interrelationship between spirituality and psychiatric medication, and its impact on the journey toward recovery. The concept of spiritual side effects (SSE) is introduced. Broadly speaking, SSE were experienced as either spiritually helpful or spiritually harmful. The findings suggest that some people are engaging spiritually with their prescriptions in critical ways that shape treatment outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• Hermeneutic phenomenology
• nonpharmacological factors
• psychiatric medication
• recovery
• side effects
• spirituality