OBJECTIVE

To identify the specifics of psychopathology and phenomenology of religious experience in depressed patients, for early diagnosis of mental disorders masked by a «religious facade», and prevention of suicidal activity.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study included 115 patients (41 men, 74 women) with depression contained religious distress in affective disorders (38 observations) and schizophrenia (77 observations), F31.3, F31.4, F32.1, F32.2, F33.1, F33.2 and F20.0, F20.4, F21 according to ICD-10.

RESULTS

According the psychopathological structure of depressive states, five types of depression were identified. The predominant type was melancholic depression (61%). Based on characteristics of religious experience, types of depressions were distinguished as follows: with congruent religious ideas of guilt and sinfulness; with the loss of «living» faith, God-forsakenness; with overvalued doubts about the choice of faith; and with «spiritual hypochondria».

CONCLUSION

Mental disorders, in particular depressive states, which have a religious «facade» often remain unrecognized due to the specific religious content, which often leads to severe and sometimes irreversible consequences as suicidal activity. Thus, these conditions require early diagnosis and specific approaches to the treatment.