University of Manitoba researchers analyzed data from almost 37,000 people who took part in the Canadian Community Health Survey to study the relationship between spirituality, religious worship and suicidal behavior.
“The main finding of this study is that religious worship attendance is associated with a decreased risk of suicide attempts,” study author Daniel Rasic said in a university news release. The researchers didn’t examine why religious worship may reduce the risk of suicide attempts.
Rasic and colleagues noted a distinction between people who say they’re spiritual and those who regularly attend worship services. People who said they’re spiritual didn’t have a lower risk of attempted suicide. This suggests that something about attending religious services plays a role in reducing suicide risk.
“Further study into the relationship between active spiritual practice and suicidal behavior is needed,” Rasic said.
The study was published in the current issue of the Journal of Affective Disorders.
More information
Mental Health America has more about suicide.
SOURCE: University of Manitoba, news release, Jan. 14, 2009
People who attend religious services regularly are less likely to attempt suicide than others, according to a recent study. I believe that this difference exists because most attendees of religious services have not lost their faith in God, and believe that God will be with them in any crisis they may encounter. On the other hand, people who do not regularly attend religious services are probably more pessimistic, and believe that suicide is one way to end their problems.
maybe people who attend church feel less burdened then those who do not,they have some one to turn to in times of despair and a good church gives people a loving community to turn to rather then depend on themselves for everything.linda