Faith-based mental health treatment of minors: a call for legislative reform.

摘要

Historically, a close connection has existed between religion, religious beliefs, and conceptualizations of both the cause and the cure of mental illness. Mental illness was once believed to result from divine retribution or demonic possession and, accordingly, could only be cured through exorcism or "beating the devil out of the person." Religious belief and religion were also believed to constitute the cause of at least some cases of mental illness, such as religious mania. Such beliefs appear to be common across many cultures, including more industrialized nations.