RELIGIOUS PRACTICE AND MENTAL HEALTH Driss Moussaoui, Nadia Kadri Ibn Rushd University Psychiatric Center, Casablanca, Morocco

D. Moussaoui 2003 « Le XXIème siècle sera religieux ou ne sera pas » (André Malraux)

D. Moussaoui 2003 RELIGION AND MENTAL HEALTH 80 to 90% of people worldwide consider religion as an essential part of their life Religion is important for mental health of individuals (balance) and of communities

D. Moussaoui 2003 RELIGION AND MENTAL HEALTH -2 Very few SYSTEMATIZED studies on religion and mental health In Casablanca: suicidal attempts, Ramadan fasting, male circumcision… Religious practice and not faith

D. Moussaoui 2003 EARLY INTEREST 1973: M.D. thesis on « Cultural beliefs, traditions and psychiatry » 1983: « Classification anthropologique des dépressions » (Annales médico- psychologiques)

D. Moussaoui 2003 SUICIDAL ATTEMPTS Study conducted by Caruso and Moussaoui (1992) 65 patients having attempted suicide (+ control group who did not) were interviewed

D. Moussaoui 2003 SUICIDAL ATTEMPTS -2 Religious practice was more frequently encountered in the control group (84.6% Vs 70.7%) Stronger social ties were found in the second group as well: anomie ?

D. Moussaoui 2003 STUDIES ON RAMADAN AND MENTAL HEALTH Cognitive functioning and fasting Drug use during Ramadan month Lithium therapy and fasting Irritability, aggressiveness and fasting

D. Moussaoui 2003 COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS AND RAMADAN Decrease in memory function and attention/vigilance during 1st and 2nd weeks; comes back to baseline 3 rd and 4 th week (Hakkou et al ) Higher risk of road & work accidents; decrease in productivity

D. Moussaoui 2003 COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS 1- Hypotheses: - Unbalance of circadian rhythm? - Dehydration? 2-Advices: respect circadian rhythm, drink more

D. Moussaoui 2003 DRUG USE AND RAMADAN 100 fasting persons using at least one drug all year long Interviewed before Ramadan, first and last weeks of Ramadan

D. Moussaoui 2003 ALCOHOL USE

D. Moussaoui 2003 ALCOHOL AND RAMADAN Mean duration between last alcohol consumption and start of Ramadan: 24.5 days (0-70 days) 41.5% of subjects respected the traditional rule of “40 days”

D. Moussaoui 2003 ALCOHOL AND RAMADAN -2 NO DELIRIUM TREMENS among alcohol abusers during Ramadan

D. Moussaoui 2003 PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATION USE

D. Moussaoui 2003 IRRITABILITY IN ALCOHOL USERS

D. Moussaoui 2003 CANNABIS AND RAMADAN

D. Moussaoui 2003 NUMBER OF CIGARETTES PER DAY

D. Moussaoui 2003 ANXIETY, IRRITABILITY AND RAMADAN More objective and subjective irritability during Ramadan Mostly among young men and among smokers and coffee drinkers

D. Moussaoui 2003 LITHIUM TREATMENT AND RAMADAN 20 bipolar patients, fasting, lithium plasma level of 0.55, stabilized for at least 3 months. Mean duration of treatment: (3- 60 months) 39% relapsed during the 2nd week of Ramadan (depression 3 and mania 6)

D. Moussaoui 2003 LITHIUM TREATMENT AND RAMADAN Hypothesis: Impact of the change of social rhythm on the course of illness? 2- Advice: do not fast; otherwise, respect your circadian rhythm

D. Moussaoui 2003 RELIGIOUS IDEAS IN MANIA 100 manic patients interviewed (N.Kadri, 1992) 32% having religious ideas grandiosity. More than half : « El Mahdi El Mountadar »

D. Moussaoui 2003 STUDIES ON CIRCUMCISION Retrospective survey in 500 medical students (Bouchikh, 1996) Prospective study on 50 boys during 6 months (Jabrane, 1997)

D. Moussaoui 2003 RETROSPECTIVE STUDY Anonymous self-questionnaire Mean age during circumcision: 3.73 (0-8 years). More than 30% had no memory of the event Others had memories of fear: 37.6%, pain: 35.6%, but also of joy: 17%.

D. Moussaoui 2003 PROSPECTIVE STUDY Before, the day of circumcision, 3 and 6 months after. Circumcision by barber (72%), nurse or doctor Mean age during circumcision: 36+2 months.

D. Moussaoui 2003 EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES

D. Moussaoui 2003 SLEEP DISORDERS

D. Moussaoui 2003 BEHAVIORAL DISTURBANCES

D. Moussaoui 2003 AGE OF CIRCUMCISION

D. Moussaoui 2003 AGE AND CIRCUMCISION Statistical relationship between age of the boy and intensity and duration of disturbances Prophet Mohamed circumcised his grand-children at the age of 8 days Advice: circumcise as early as possible, and in a medical setting

D. Moussaoui 2003 CONCLUDING REMARKS Need for more studies in the field of religious practice and mental health The aim of such studies should be to improve the health of people while practicing their religion: PREVENTION

D. Moussaoui 2003 One religion is as true as another. (Robert Burton, The anatomy of melancholy)

D. Moussaoui 2003 Truth is like religion; it has only two enemies: the too much and the too little (Samuel Butler)

D. Moussaoui 2003 Religion is nothing else than the shadow of the universe on the human intelligence. (Victor Hugo)

D. Moussaoui 2003 There is only one religion, though there are hundred versions of it. (George Bernard Shaw)