Exploring the experiences of depression within Krishna consciousness devotees: an interpretative phenomenological analysis
type: CreativeWork
description: Background: Depression is a widespread difficulty seemingly increasing around the world. With the prevalence of this concern having grown in the past few years in the UK and other areas (Lewandowski et al, 2016), researchers have dedicated their time and resources in trying to uncover solutions and prevention methods, if not management strategies to better help one work through their depressive experiences. Research has since steered away from focusing on medicinal practices to manage depression better and instead have turned their focus to alternative forms of management such as holistic and traditional forms of therapy. With some positive statistics indicating the effectiveness of such practices, depression has since progressively received attention in relation to spirituality and religion, a growing area of research in Counselling Psychology (CoP), particularly examining its use as a protective measure for depression. A new religious movement known as Krishna Consciousness (KC) has lately become a topic of interest with research indicating a large presence of depression alongside other mental health difficulties in this growing movement. Investigations have consistently explored follower’s mental states due to their uncommon lifestyle displays and perspectives. Rationale: Despite the movement’s philosophy of ‘chant and be happy;’ research has pointed to a prevalence of numerous mental health difficulties in followers of KC. Indeed, focal studies have indicated a presence of delusional ideations within followers (Richardson, 1995), whilst developed research and contemporary online forums have pointed to a large presence of depression within this community (Wright, 1991). One key quantitative study even boldly labelled devotees of KC as depressive personalities (Magaro et al, 1985) though were unable to answer, what, why or even how followers understood and interacted with their depression. As such, qualitative research investigating depression within this group re…
abstract: Background: Depression is a widespread difficulty seemingly increasing around the world. With the prevalence of this concern having grown in the past few years in the UK and other areas (Lewandowski et al, 2016), researchers have dedicated their time and resources in trying to uncover solutions and prevention methods, if not management strategies to better help one work through their depressive experiences. Research has since steered away from focusing on medicinal practices to manage depression better and instead have turned their focus to alternative forms of management such as holistic and traditional forms of therapy. With some positive statistics indicating the effectiveness of such practices, depression has since progressively received attention in relation to spirituality and religion, a growing area of research in Counselling Psychology (CoP), particularly examining its use as a protective measure for depression. A new religious movement known as Krishna Consciousness (KC) has lately become a topic of interest with research indicating a large presence of depression alongside other mental health difficulties in this growing movement. Investigations have consistently explored follower’s mental states due to their uncommon lifestyle displays and perspectives. Rationale: Despite the movement’s philosophy of ‘chant and be happy;’ research has pointed to a prevalence of numerous mental health difficulties in followers of KC. Indeed, focal studies have indicated a presence of delusional ideations within followers (Richardson, 1995), whilst developed research and contemporary online forums have pointed to a large presence of depression within this community (Wright, 1991). One key quantitative study even boldly labelled devotees of KC as depressive personalities (Magaro et al, 1985) though were unable to answer, what, why or even how followers understood and interacted with their depression. As such, qualitative research investigating depression within this group re…
author: Chauhan, Reena
keywords: 150 Psychology
date published: 2022-02
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:54:47Z
provider: London Metropolitan University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: London Metropolitan University