Keywords
Sikh identity
depression
healthcare policy
How to Cite
Abstract
The purpose of this work is to address the approach to mental health within Sikh theology found in the Guru Granth Sahib and contrast it to the concurrent practices in societal India. Mental health is both acknowledged and validated through the Guru Granth Sahib, but given the scientific development and clinical understanding of mental health at the time the Guru Granth Sahib came to be, the concept of clinical treatment for mental health is not found within. However a variety of nonmedicinal ways of moving through mental health issues are discussed in the Guru Granth Sahib and, given the direct relationship between strengthening religiosity and improved mental health demonstrated in several studies, these non-clinical pathways must be considered. When faced with two solutions which stem from two sides of one’s identity, is there a right choice? Religion plays a key role in the mental health of a religious individual, as does social climate and clinical care accessibility; this becomes a valuable question to explore as attempted in this article.
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