March 2026
Spiritually active individuals, especially those practicing as part of a community, are less likely to misuse alcohol, tobacco, and drugs, according to a first-of-its-kind study out of Harvard University.
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The study on spirituality and harmful alcohol and drug use, led by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, is a pioneering meta-analysis. The findings are critical at a time when 48 million Americans have a diagnosable substance disorder, which represents a “health threat” imposing dramatic costs to society, the researchers said.
The Feb. 18 publication in JAMA Psychiatry,reviewed results from 55 “rigorous” studies involving over half a million participants. It reported that those who are part of a spiritual or religious community use 18% less alcohol and drugs than the average person, and that those who consider themselves spiritual use 13% less than the average person.
The researchers urged therapists — who may not be inclined to discuss spirituality with patients — to take note of the findings. A press release from Harvard said spirituality may be a valuable yet under-appreciated resource for mental health.
“Our findings indicate that spirituality may be protective against substance misuse, one of the biggest public health challenges of our time,” said lead author Howard Koh, who also is the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Health. “For many individuals and families, using spirituality as a resource — whether that be attending religious services, meditating, praying, or seeking other forms of spiritual comfort — may be an avenue to enhance their health.”
Neuroscience suggests that spiritual practices can influence brain regions associated with stress regulation, reward processing, and social connection, according to the study. That benefit may be further enhanced when individuals attend some sort of weekly community spiritual or religious gathering or ritual. The study said that boost may result from social support, abstinence rules, and moral beliefs.
The study is a “once-in-a-decade” advance in research connecting spirituality and health, said senior author and Harvard Professor of Epidemiology Tyler VanderWeele.
“The consistency of the results across all the studies —i ncluding over a dozen studies conducted outside of the U.S. — was striking, with all but a few showing a protective, not detrimental, effect,” VanderWeele said in the press release.
The study looked mostly at spirituality as a resource to prevent substance misuse, but it also found significant evidence for its benefits in treating alcoholism, drug addiction, and other problems.
The researchers said the findings validate the approach of Alcoholics Anonymous and other models which “are inherently spiritually grounded.” Such models, which aren’t overtly religious, may be more acceptable in secular professional circles.
One reviewer of the February study (in the comments section of JAMA Psychiatry) criticized it for “distortion.” John Chatlos, MD, of Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, said 53 of the 55 studies reviewed considered religious practices: worship attendance, prayer within religious framework, etc., rather than general spiritual practices.
Written by Tom Zolper
Edited by Liza Horan
