Why Clergy Have Double the Rate of Depression Anxiety
A survey of 1,700 United Methodist pastors, conducted by the Clergy Health Initiative at Duke Divinity School, discovered that pastors had double the rate of depression anxiety as the general population. Report.
While the survey authors do not give a clear explanation for why clergy have higher rates of depression anxiety, we do know that members of other professions, whose focus is on care giving to sick and troubled individuals, such as nursing and social workers, also have higher rates of depression anxiety.
The reason why clergy have higher rates of depression anxiety may be due to the fact that, even though it is not a disease, depression anxiety can be contagious.
Learn More:
Depression Anxiety is Not a Disease
Depression Anxiety Can Be Contagious
Constant exposure and ministering to individuals who are experiencing depression anxiety events in their life i.e., sickness, death, failing marriages, can impact the emotional well being of the care giver or clergy member.
Clergy, minister, pastors, and priests tend to be empathic individuals, they chose this line of work in order to help others, and are more sensitive to the pain of others, compared to the general population. Clergy may also have a higher degree of cognitive vulnerability.
Cognitive vulnerability to depression anxiety, the likelihood that you will develop depression anxiety, is determined by your learned behavioral response to stress. Cognitive vulnerability is developed in childhood and teenage years, by mimicking the behavioral response to stressful episodes, of your parents, family, and friends.
We know that chronic stress causes a physical chain reaction which leads to depression anxiety, and how an individual responds to stress, determines how vulnerable they are to getting depression anxiety.
Learn More: How Stress Causes Depression Anxiety
Scientists know that certain individuals are pre-disposed to getting depression anxiety based on their cognitive vulnerability. It is possible, that through their repeated exposure to individuals undergoing stress related depression anxiety, the clergy member’s cognitive vulnerability to depression anxiety increases.
Whatever the cause of the higher rates of depression anxiety among the clergy, the need to address this serious condition by individual clergy members, and their religious group is real and necessary.
How to Help Clergy with Depression Anxiety
Greater awareness of the high rates of depression anxiety among the clergy is the first step.
Understanding that depression anxiety is not a curse, sin, mental illness, or disease, but instead a physical condition which affects the body, brain, and mood.
Learn More: Depression Anxiety is Not a Mental Illness
Minimizing the exposure of clergy members with depression anxiety to stressful events and interactions.
A healthy diet and exercise is extremely beneficial in managing and alleviating stress and depression anxiety.
Using cognitive behavioral techniques such as desensitization, while ministering to individuals undergoing stressful life events, to prevent absorbing their stress, which sets off the physical chain reaction leading to the clergy member’s own depression anxiety.
Learn more about our natural depression anxiety alternative and how to use diet, exercise, and the best supplements for depression anxiety recovery.
Learn More:
Depression Anxiety Diet
Depression Anxiety Recipes
Depression Anxiety Exercises
Depression Anxiety Supplements
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