The Bible and Mental Health

Attachment and Emotional Security

We are at our best when body, mind and spirit work in harmony; we also thrive when we’re in harmony with others. Both the Bible and modern psychology point to secure relationships as the foundation of good mental health. When Jesus was asked to name the most important commandment, He responded, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37–40). This portrayal of secure relationships (with both God and others) as crucial to well-being anticipates many insights from modern psychology. Attachment theory, for instance, points to the importance of parents fulfilling their children’s need for a dependable source of care and strength.

The Bible portrays God as this kind of secure base—“a father to the fatherless,” as David wrote in a statement that predates modern attachment theory by millennia (Psalm 68:5, New International Version). Scripture describes God’s pattern of consistent availability, comfort in distress, and faithful love, which mirrors what researchers have identified as crucial for healthy emotional development. The metaphor of God as a “refuge and strength” (Psalm 46:1) is a template for the secure attachment that promotes emotional and psychological resilience.

In the same vein, Scripture repeatedly emphasizes the importance of early relationships within families, particularly in parent-child dynamics. “Train up a child in the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6) suggests more than simply moral instruction; it implies the creation of a secure emotional foundation. Children learn best from those they trust, and trust is built in an environment of consistent security, or “refuge and strength,” as David’s psalm puts it. The biblical emphasis on consistent, loving caregiving harmonizes with research showing that secure early bonds foster greater emotional regulation, enhanced stress tolerance, improved relationship skills, stronger resilience to trauma and, as a result, reduced vulnerability to anxiety and depression.

When We Struggle

Unfortunately, we don’t always have the ideal combination of nature and nurture to enjoy optimal resilience. With our physical health, what it takes to maintain wellness is different from what it takes to recover from illness. A wealth of advice tells us how to maintain our physical health, using any number of strategies: diet, exercise, sleep and so on. But what happens if we find ourselves with a broken leg, a heart problem or cancer? In these situations, maintenance isn’t enough, and the Bible isn’t dismissive of what physicians can do when we need them. Luke is called “the beloved physician” (Colossians 4:14), and Jesus famously used an interesting analogy to explain why He spent so much time with sinners: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick” (Luke 5:31).

The same distinction between maintaining wellness and recovering from illness applies to our mental health. To those who haven’t lived that distinction, overcoming mental health struggles can seem simple.

It’s tempting to read scriptures in isolation, but this leads to a shallow understanding. Only by reading the Bible in its entire context can we fully appreciate its depth and the complexity of the human experience it portrays. For example, in addressing anxiety, some might offer this verse as an easy fix: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6, NIV). But the verse isn’t about clinical levels of anxiety; it simply reminds us to bring our daily concerns to God. If we don’t acknowledge the many other scriptures that can add to our understanding of human anxiety, we can minimize the real distress that people experience. Anxiety is a reality for many, and related biblical instructions coincide with practical coping strategies such as gratitude, prayer and communal support. These are not only good daily prevention practices, much like eating right, exercising and getting sleep; they also align with modern therapeutic techniques such as mindfulness and changing unhelpful thinking patterns.

Of course, all experiences of anxiety aren’t the same. We don’t help someone struggling with overwhelming fear and distress by advising them, “Just don’t be anxious.” Instead, we can mine the Scriptures for examples that cover the rich tapestry of human emotional experiences. In the process we can gain respect for those who experience the deepest, darkest levels of emotional distress, and we can develop a better understanding of their suffering and their need for support.

The Bible doesn’t shy away from depicting deep depression and emotional struggle. King David’s psalms express these kinds of feelings openly and repeatedly, and the frequent question “How long?” suggests he wasn’t always given an immediate answer. For instance, in Psalm 55:4–5, David is clearly describing something more intense than the sort of anxiety related to daily worries and concerns: “My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen on me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me” (NIV). And in another psalm, “My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long?” (Psalm 6:3, NIV).

Job also speaks freely of his suffering and emotional turmoil.

“Why did I not perish at birth? . . . What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. . . . If only my anguish could be weighed and all my misery be placed on the scales! It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas.”

These accounts show that emotional pain may not be the result of spiritual shortcomings. And Jesus, who was sinless, experienced a rich spectrum of emotions, including deep anguish and anxiety—and ultimately the worst possible level of abandonment.

For many who struggle with emotional pain, preventive maintenance strategies aren’t enough, and they may well benefit from the help of a “physician” in the form of a mental health professional. It’s worth noting that when Jesus healed people, He often asked them to take action of some kind. We might gain insight from doing something concrete in tandem with placing faith in God, showing Him we’re willing to do our part in our personal growth process.

The Role of Community

For family and friends of people who are dealing with mental distress and trauma, scriptural examples underscore the therapeutic power of supportive relationships; they also illustrate the destructive power of toxic relationships. The biblical narrative consistently shows healing occurring in the context of connections within one’s community and with God. This aligns with trauma research showing that strong interpersonal relationships can soften trauma’s impact and help people begin to process difficult experiences, restore their sense of safety and trust, and facilitate posttraumatic growth.

The story of Ruth and Naomi is only one of the many positive biblical illustrations of how strong attachments can foster resilience in times of profound loss and displacement. Their mutual commitment, care and support for one another ultimately led to emotional healing for both women.

The instruction to “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2) reflects the Bible’s emphasis on community support. The early Church model of shared resources and mutual care is consistent with this concept. Mental health research fully embraces and supports this important principle.

Even the biblical concept of resting on the Sabbath acknowledges the importance of relationships with God and the community, in this case the Church community. It’s a recognition of human limitations and the need for regular renewal. Rest and renewal are accomplished by solidifying a secure relationship with God, to come to know Him and become like Him. The Bible is replete with scriptures describing how to work toward personal change and growth—a transformation of mind that encourages us to “put on the new man [or “self”]” (Ephesians 4:24), and to “be imitators of God as dear children” (Ephesians 5:1).

Those experiencing burnout and emotional exhaustion—not uncommon in our fast-paced world—might readily relate to Jesus’ words, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” He went on to encourage His listeners: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30, NIV).

The Bible’s wisdom, when properly understood, can inform and enrich mental health practices while providing hope and practical guidance for those facing psychological challenges. Its teachings precede and complement, rather than compete with, evidence-based standards of mental health care. Biblical principles promote secure relationships in families and communities modeled on a secure relationship with God. They describe creating an environment that furthers emotional safety and healing. They promote building supportive communities, practicing regular self-care and rest, and acknowledging emotions honestly. But perhaps most important to establishing stable mental health, they afford avenues for building resilience by offering the kind of meaning to life that ignites hope in the face of difficulties.