Faith and religious delusions in first-episode schizophrenia

This article reports on faith and religious delusions at initial intake and 12 months later in work with a group of 77 patients experiencing the first-episode of schizophrenia. Both religious delusions and faith are frequent for first-episode patients in this group. However, of the 36 who experienced religious delusions, 58% had full remissions of those delusions at 12 months. Faith remained an issue throughout treatment- sometimes related to delusions-but at other times involved existential crises, or proved a helpful means of coping and reestablishing a sense of self. Implications for ethical, boundary and treatment issues are addressed. © 2006 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

Duke Scholars

Author Rachel Ann Miller Medicine, Infectious Diseases