{"id":348784,"date":"2026-03-16T09:14:08","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T09:14:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/348784\/"},"modified":"2026-03-16T09:14:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T09:14:08","slug":"how-does-regular-church-attendance-affect-mental-health-deseret-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/348784\/","title":{"rendered":"How does regular church attendance affect mental health? \u2013 Deseret News"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cConservatives who attend church weekly are the least likely to have ever been diagnosed with a mental health condition,\u201d sociologist Ryan Burge reported Thursday on X<\/a>. <\/p>\n

By contrast, he added, \u201cliberals who have low attendance are the most likely to have a diagnosis.\u201d<\/p>\n

Conservatives who attend church weekly are the least likely to have ever been diagnosed with a mental health condition.<\/p>\n

Liberals who have low attendance are the most likely to have a diagnosis. pic.twitter.com\/eXAuKGMwOu<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Ryan Burge \ud83d\udcca (@ryanburge) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Burge was drawing on his analysis of data from the Pew American Trends Panel<\/a> from March 2020, which surveyed 11,537 randomly selected U.S. adults between March 19 and 24, 2020. <\/p>\n

In both English and Spanish, respondents were asked, \u201cHas a doctor or other health care provider EVER told you that you have a mental health condition?\u201d <\/p>\n

Regular churchgoers of all ideologies reported lower rates of diagnosed mental health conditions, especially those attendees who identified as conservative. <\/p>\n

Although non-attending liberals showed the highest rates of diagnoses, the implications of this data are not clear, since awareness of mental health problems is also important. <\/p>\n

Just as higher rates of abuse may be indicative<\/a> of a community more willing to open up and hold perpetrators accountable, some argue that higher diagnostic numbers may likewise be a positive sign of higher community awareness when it comes to mental health. <\/p>\n

So what does the data really demonstrate \u2014 and what\u2019s an accurate view of its implications? <\/p>\n

\"\"Churchgoers attend Palm Sunday services at the Metropolitan AME Church in Washington, Sunday, March 24, 2024. | Amanda Andrade-Rhoades, Associated Press Showing the \u2018fruits\u2019 of faith?<\/p>\n

Matt Von Swol said<\/a> in response to Burge\u2019s post<\/a>, \u201cMy family started going to church together for the first time last year. It has been absolutely revolutionary.\u201d <\/p>\n

He added, \u201cNo church is perfect, but you can literally go to church for free and get a community, moral teaching, and a babysitter. Seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n

My family started going to church together for the first time last year.<\/p>\n

It has been absolutely revolutionary.<\/p>\n

I highly recommend it. <\/p>\n

No church is perfect, but you can literally go to church for free and get a community, moral teaching, and a baby sitter.<\/p>\n

Seriously.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Other X users from different faith backgrounds added their experiences: <\/p>\n

\u201cI love church. Worshipping God. Communing with the Creator of the universe!\u201d Daisy M said.<\/a> \u201cAnd yes. Friends.\u201d Faith \u201cgives you strength and hope,\u201d Judi Greener said<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019ve started praying again each and every day. I\u2019m much happier and content for doing such.\u201d\u201cI go to synagogue every day (twice a day),\u201d Greg Yaris said<\/a>. \u201cCouldn\u2019t imagine life without it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Katy Faust argued that these<\/a> mental health benefits reflect a worldview aligned more with a reality that acknowledges good and evil, while telling you \u201cthe truth about who you are.\u201d <\/p>\n

Once these truths are denied, she said, people are left to \u201cbuild a replacement reality out of ideology detached from who you really are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLiving in a self-constructed universe is not great for mental health.\u201d<\/p>\n

Are believers less likely to seek help?<\/p>\n

David Stein questioned<\/a> on X if \u201creligious people are less likely to self-report due to any stigmas. I\u2019m not trying to imply religious people have more mental conditions \u2014 I would expect them to be more similar to other populations.\u201d<\/p>\n

In response, X user Melissa said<\/a>, \u201cOr our locus of control is different. We know and can rely on God being in control of everything. This frees up a lot of mental weight (anxiety and depression) because we know we don\u2019t have to carry things by ourselves.\u201d <\/p>\n

Stein responded<\/a>, \u201cThat can go both ways though. Plenty of studies show if people don\u2019t feel they have control over things they become more stressed \/ depressed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other believers suggested they were not as anxious about the world. \u201cWe know we\u2019re in control of our lives where applicable and He\u2019s in control of it all,\u201d said<\/a> Brandon Bohning. Grover Dill added<\/a> that believers \u201ctend to focus their lives on pleasing God\u201d instead of other draining pursuits. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou have a small point,\u201d Abigail Raatz said<\/a> to those pointing to a hesitance some believers have to seek out help. \u201cBut living with purpose and hope does wonders. It also helps to be surrounded by intentional community that want to share each other\u2019s burdens.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Churchgoers worship at 2819 Church on Nov. 16, 2025, in Atlanta. | Jessie Wardarski, Associated Press Other relevant data<\/p>\n

None of this suggests that faith eliminates mental health struggles, of course, since many believers across traditions experience serious challenges. But across decades of research, a certain pattern has been unmistakable. <\/p>\n

As summarized in hundreds of studies documented in the \u201cHandbook of Religion and Health<\/a>,\u201d a majority of available research finds religious people reporting greater well-being and life satisfaction, lower levels of depression and anxiety, and lower suicide risk \u2014 especially when that faith is practiced in healthy and loving ways that respect agency. <\/p>\n

Although some still raise questions about causation, few dispute the emotional benefits religious communities bring by discouraging substance use and strengthening family and community connections \u2014 while infusing life with greater meaning, purpose and solace. <\/p>\n