Any student knows the feeling of arriving home at the end of a difficult week. After a barrage of tests and day-to-day stressors, many look to religion as a way to deal with their worries.
Junior Josiah Witt said he believes religion and mental health frequently coincide.
“People, by nature, are always looking for something to give them assurance when they have a lot of struggle or tension or fear in their life,” he said. “Faith in religion doesn’t really erase the struggle, but it gives it meaning.”
Witt grew up as a Southern Baptist Christian, he said. His family moved from Jacksonville, Florida to Ohio so his father, who is a pastor, could set up a church, he explained.
Witt said practicing religion can help people overcome their difficulties by giving them something to believe in.
“They’re all looking for the right thing, which is happiness,” he said. “They’re just looking in all the wrong places. I think religion is a good foundation for happiness, and it can sort of ease their mental health.”
Junior Dafna Skolnik said Judaism plays a large role in her life. She said she attends synagogue, teaches Sunday school and is in multiple Jewish fellowships.
Skolnik said although she doesn’t consider her religion to be a main contributor to her mental health, she has found some benefits. Twice a year, she attends a convention centered around Judaism, she explained.
“I feel very spiritually connected during that because it’s 200 Jewish teens in one room all saying the same prayer,” she said.
Skolnik said she believes assumptions are often made about people from different backgrounds. As the daughter of two rabbis, she said there can be expectations for her to act a certain way to meet the expectations of other people.
“Sometimes that comes with pressure,” she said.
Senior Eddie Merritt said his beliefs as a Lutheran Christian comfort him when he’s worried about school or athletics.
“Not only has religion helped me get through multiple injuries, but it has allowed me to be grateful for the future and the opportunity to continue to improve mentally, physically and spiritually,” he said.
Merritt said religion is one of the main contributors to his mental health and believes it can be beneficial for others. He said one way to do this is by promoting individual accountability, care for one’s body and mind and the creation of support groups. Things like exercise can be effective ways to accomplish these goals, he added.
Lisa Kelley, founder and CEO of Youthrive Psychological Services, a private mental health practice in Bexley, said religion’s effect on people’s mental well-being is dependent on how religious they are.
The way they practice religion determines how it impacts their mental health too, she said. Kelley said religion has been weaponized by parents of LGBTQ+ youth, which can cause depression, anxiety or, in extreme cases, suicide attempts.
“But it doesn’t have to be that way,” she added. “I have had openly gay kids who have very supportive religions and very supportive families.”
When a religion is accepting of people, Kelley explained, it can provide a positive atmosphere and necessary guidance.
“I’ve seen people really value their faith and really benefit from being a part of a structured religion,” she said.
Skolnik said she’s spoken to people of different religions who all emphasized the importance of faith.
“Regardless of your religion, you can approach mental health in very similar ways,” she said.
Published and digitized December 2025.
