Christian Fanaticism and Mental Health: Healthcare Practitioners' Perspective

Abstract

Christian fanaticism is an excessive and irrational zeal by professing Christians regarding their faith and its expressions, which often has unwanted consequences. Despite civilisation and a scientifically advanced age, there is still widespread ignorance among many Christians which is a catalyst for religious fanaticism. The aim of this research was to highlight the negative effects of Christian fanaticism on mental health and possible solutions. A qualitative approach was employed in this study; 20 healthcare practitioners were interviewed at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in Calabar and the responses analysed using Atlas.Ti software. The findings showed that Christian fanaticism has negative effects on mental health such as depression and aggression; the interviewees went ahead to give recommendations on how fanaticism could be avoided or managed. This study further enlightens Christians on the need to abstain from religious fanaticism as it has negative effects on individuals, the church and the society at large.