NATURA
- Aug 23
- 6 min read

The Science of Religion

This time,

I looked into religion✨✨

Currently, it is estimated that 7.7 billion people worldwide practice a religion. There are (2.4 billion Christians), (1.9 billion Muslims), (1.2 billion Hindus), (550 million Buddhists), (420 million folk religion adherents), and (1.2 billion non-religious people). This means that most people believe in some form of religion✨✨🌏🌏.

In fact, reports suggest that people who practice religion have a higher level of mental well-being compared to those who do not. It is said that religious people have lower suicide rates and lower rates of various mental illnesses✨✨.

According to the data from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare on global suicide rates from 2017 to 2021, South Korea 🇰🇷 ranks first in the highest suicide rates for both men and women. Lithuania 🇱🇹 is second, Belarus 🇧🇾 third, Slovenia 🇸🇮 fourth, Japan 🇯🇵 fifth, Hungary 🇭🇺 sixth, Belgium 🇧🇪 seventh, Mongolia 🇲🇳 eighth, Estonia 🇪🇪 ninth, and Moldova 🇲🇩 tenth. At a glance, it can be seen that Eastern Europe and East Asia have high suicide rates, and the top 20 are all countries in Europe🥲🥲.

However, compared to these countries, the suicide rates in the Arab countries, Africa, and South America are relatively low, and these regions report higher levels of happiness among their citizens. This has led to investigations into whether the religion practiced by the people is a contributing factor✨✨✨✨.

Currently, due to the development of social media, there is a trend among young people to move away from religion, with 1.2 billion people worldwide identifying as non-religious, and this number is expected to increase. Unfortunately, there is a correlation between the decline in religiosity and the increase in suicide rates. Even in regions with relatively low suicide rates, such as Africa 🇿🇦, Australia 🇦🇺, and Chile 🇨🇱, the suicide rate among young people is high, and the same trend is observed in Asia and Europe🥲🥲.

In Latin America and South America, where crime rates are the highest in the world and murder rates are the highest, life satisfaction and happiness levels are high, and suicide rates are low. This is believed to be due to the Catholicism practiced by the people✨✨.

Meta-analyses examining the relationship between religion, suicide rates, and the incidence of mental illnesses have shown that people who frequently participate in religious activities have lower rates of suicide and various mental illnesses (depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, social anxiety disorder, PTSD, drug reuse, and alcohol reuse). A 12-year follow-up study reported a 29% reduction in the risk of developing depression among those who participated in religious activities😂😂.

In the United States 🇺🇸, youth suicide is a serious issue. A 2006 study involving 20,014 participants found that those who attended religious activities more than twice a month had a 94% lower suicide rate compared to those who did not. Another 14-year study involving 89,708 people reported a fivefold reduction in the suicide rate among those who participated in religious activities😂😂✨✨.

Sadly, 40% of the increase in the suicide rate among Americans is correlated with distancing themselves from religious activities✨✨.

Most participants in these religion-related experiments reported an increase in mental, physical, and social fulfillment after being exposed to religion✨✨.

Researchers believe that participating in religious activities helps to reduce the factors contributing to suicide (alcohol, drugs, depression, loneliness) through mutual support, and that the sense of connection achieved by talking about one’s problems is a major reason for the lower suicide rates✨✨.

Experiments targeting the elderly also reported that listening to religious music alleviated their fear of death✨✨.

Furthermore, it has been reported that practicing religion increases qualities such as sincerity, discipline, and responsibility, and decreases the tendency to take risks. Even people who have committed crimes showed a tendency to become more peaceful in character after participating in religious activities✨✨.

However, it should be noted that religion is not a cure-all for everyone. For patients with severe mental illness or PTSD, promoting religion can worsen their symptoms, so caution is needed🥲🥲.

Nevertheless, it is a fact that the environment created by incorporating prayer 🙏 or meditation 🧘‍♀️ and having opportunities to interact with many people has a tremendous impact on mental health. People who have few opportunities to interact with others on a daily basis may suffer from a decline in mental health due to an uncertain future or loneliness. Thus, increasing opportunities for social interaction, even outside of religion, might also make people happier✨✨.

Incidentally, participating in fan clubs of favorite idols or celebrities may also have a positive effect on mental health✨✨.

As for me, my father believed in Buddhism, but I am non-religious. I certainly feel anxiety and loneliness, and often analyze 🧐 myself. Without interacting with people, the opportunity to talk 🗣️ decreases, leading to fewer chances to share my problems, which tends to build up🥲🥲.

Although watching videos on social media somewhat helps alleviate loneliness, I often think that nothing beats the happiness derived from actually talking and conversing with people in person😭😭.

What did you think??✨✨

If you are currently experiencing mental anxiety, it might be beneficial to increase opportunities to interact with people or try incorporating meditation 🧘‍♀️, or joining a fan club of something you like✨✨.

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