Religious Psychopathology: Overview of Clinical, Cultural, and Neurobiological Perspectives

Abstract

Religious psychopathology as a field lies at the intersection of psychiatry, theology, and culture. It addresses scientific discoveries and questions relating to the manifestation of mental health disorders that are expressed through religious content, ideation, and/or behavior. Religious psychopathology, being a multifaceted phenomenon, challenges clinicians, researchers, and religious leaders because it is non-trivial to distinguish between culturally normative religious experiences and pathological symptoms. The present integrative narrative review examines historical perspectives, diagnostic challenges, clinical manifestations, cultural considerations, therapeutic interventions, neurobiological models, ethical issues, and future directions in the field of religious psychopathology. It focuses primarily on literature from 2013 to 2025, while also incorporating selected foundational historical, theoretical, and clinical sources necessary for conceptual clarification. A special emphasis is placed on culturally informed and interdisciplinary approaches. Particular focus is given to approaches that respect spiritual frameworks while concurrently promoting evidence-based mental health care.