Black Testimonies on Body and Mind: Mental Health and Religiosity in Salvador da Bahia

This mixed-methods study investigates the intersection of mental health and religiosity in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, the Blackest place outside of Nigeria. Religion is both a protective and a risk factor for mental health. More specifically, this thesis is interested in how religious beliefs in Salvador influence Afro-Brazilians’ help-seeking behavior. The data collection included ethnographic interviews and a quantitative survey. The research questions include does religiosity (specifically Christian and Afro-Brazilian ones) impact how people conceptualize and talk about mental health and mental illness? Do Black people in Salvador differentiate the two? One goal was to help bridge a gap in the literature about Black Brazilian mental health as there is limited data available. It was hypothesized that Candomblé would serve as a protective factor, whereas Christianity could serve as a protective or risk factor. There was little Christian faith reflected in the sample so no claims can be made about the role of Christianity in help-seeking behavior. From the interviews, it was clear that participants did distinguish between mental health and mental illness, and three prominent themes emerged: the connection between the body and mind; the journey to finding one’s religion, and black suffering and its impact on mental health. Racism and discrimination have been linked to poor mental health outcomes. In Brazil, Afro-descendants face vast social inequality despite being the largest demographic. The study showed that community and friendship represent strong cultural values that also serve as protective factors.