Blessed alienation: the Christian monastery as a caring and restorative environment

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Mental Health
• Sociology of Health
• Qualitative Health Research

Background:

• Mental illness is often linked to social alienation due to difficulties in sharing subjective experiences.
• Contemporary healthcare systems prompt new questions regarding patient support and recovery environments.
• Historically, individuals have sought solace and healing in monastic settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the meaning of health and care within a contemporary monastic environment.
• To understand how monastic settings contribute to the recovery process for individuals with mental illness.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving interviews with six individuals residing in a Swedish monastery.
• Hermeneutic analysis of interview transcripts to interpret lived experiences.

Main Results:

• The monastic environment's paradoxical structure was identified as a key factor in its helping effect.
• Participants experienced a unique balance: being different yet equal, having freedom within boundaries, and experiencing both calmness and intensity.
• The setting facilitated privacy alongside social relations, and demands coupled with confirmation.

Conclusions:

• The monastery's contradictory/paradoxical nature aligns with the lifeworld of individuals experiencing mental illness.
• This environment fosters experiences of health and wholeness, crucial for managing recovery.
• Monastic settings can offer a supportive structure for mental health recovery.