Study: Religious Service Attendance and Deaths Related to Drugs, Alcohol, and Suicide Among US Health Care Professionals (JAMA Psychiatry, 2020)
Study: Bi-directional associations between religious attendance and mental health: findings from a British birth cohort study (J Epidemiol Community Health, 2022)
Study: Does Religious-Service Attendance Increase Mental Health? A Random-Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis Across 18 Years (Psychological Science, 36(3), 157-167, 2025)
Takeaway: Regular faith-based practices prove to be beneficial for our long-term mental health and have a positive impact on our physical health through the mitigation of experienced stressors.
David’s Note: As I've said in Built To Last, a sense of purpose, a set of beliefs and solid values anchor our identity and make us less susceptible to the destructive effects of stress on our body and brain.
Relevant Podcast: The Holy Health Podcast with Dara Saker where we discuss, among other variables, the impact of faith on the brain and body and how it affects longevity.