Table 6 Lived experience consultants on the role of religious and spiritual beliefs in their lives

Religious and spiritual beliefs a way of life

Lived experience consultants felt that spirituality was central to their way of life. Spirituality influenced their dietary and lifestyle choices making these healthier and allowed mastery of various aspects of their lives. They talked about all aspects of life of a person holding spiritual and religious beliefs being influenced by these

One lived experience consultant defined beliefs as: “A way of life that determines our lifestyle choices, how we connect with ourselves and other people, and our reactions in adversities.” 22 years, male

“Spirituality and religious beliefs are a way of life for us. We have an alternate name given to us by religious guru by which we are known in the religious community and that is our identity.” 23 years, male

“Our life is very different from those who don’t hold these beliefs, we are kinder to others, don’t use substances such as alcohol and cannabis that many young people use". 18 years, male

A way to connect with like-minded people Lived experience consultants spoke about how the beliefs help them connect with other people that share their values. They talked about people belonging to religious community acting as a biggest support system for them. “We know we are there for each other if we need anything. The world is a selfish place where no one does anything without expecting something in return. Whereas I know I can rely on my religious community brothers in crisis without the fear of being cheated and taken advantage of.” 22 years, male

A panacea for all adversities Young people stressed the importance of feeling watched over and of spirituality serving as a guiding light in difficult times. A small number talked about questioning the practices that the family members wanted young people to use when they were going through a difficult time. However, they felt that most often young people were able to find something that worked for them

“My mother wants me to pray when anxious. It doesn’t help and I can’t focus. I find it really hard to pray or go to place of worship in that state.” 18 years, female

An ability to accept life as it is, was helpful at these times. A reminder of it being a passing phase, the feeling of someone watching over them and ability to see the whole picture (e.g., how trivial these problems were in the larger scheme of things) were crucial at these times to allow them to accept life challenges

“Anything that happens in my life, is for a reason. I know that someone knows the plan and will see to it that I come out of it unscathed.” 22 years, male

Spirituality versus religiosity Young consultants felt the distinction between spirituality and religion was arbitrary. They reflected that even though practices such as chanting and praying are counted as religious, these allowed them a reflective space to understand themselves better and thus could be considered as spiritual when used in this way

“I connect with myself when I pray. I am able to think clearly and understand my thoughts better.” 18 years, female

“I like the feeling of being watched over especially in times of difficulties. It helps me in not to lose hope.” 24 years, male

Evolution of beliefs over time

“My dad is an atheist and I really admire his strength. When my mental health problems started, I used to pray a lot. It didn’t help. Nothing got better. I got help from people around me who suggested how to deal with the problems. I practiced meditation, breathing exercises which was helpful. My beliefs have evolved now, I feel I can rely on people around me for help rather than a lifeless idol.” 19 years, female