Depression: Dispirited or spiritually deprived?

The 20th century has seen a widespread decline in mental health in Western society. One important factor may be the lack of meaning and spiritual fulfilment that is part of our increasingly secular and materialistic society. In medical education and practice, religious issues are often marginalised or 'pathologised', despite consistent evidence from the literature of the protective effect of 'religiosity' or 'spirituality' on mental and physical health.