Acceso usuarios
Mario A. Nuñez Molina
A review is presented of research findings of studies about the anti-therapeutic elements of spirits practices. The results suggest that spirits healers tend to refer clients with physical conditions to doctors. However, generally they do not refer clients with psychological disturbances to mental health professional because they feel competent to treat these conditions. It seems also that most spiritist healers do not oppose that clients use medication for physical conditions. In the case of drugs for treating psychological conditions, the evidence is contradictory because some authors have found that spiritist healers orient clients no to take psychotropic drugs while others have found the opposite. In addition, the argument that spiritism promotes dependency and passivity is analyzed concluding that spiritist practices may be used in both directions: to empower people or to make them more dependent. More research about the anti-therapeutic elements of Puerto Rican Spiritism is recommended in order to have a better understanding of this folk healing system.
