Presentation title: Breakdown or Breakthrough; Signs and Symptoms of a Spiritual Awakening or Mental Illness

The process of spiritual awakening is a time of upheaval and may be misunderstood as melancholia, mania, or psychosis. We need to know the difference! The religious experiences across different cultures have been  studied and categorized for recognition. The DSM 5 has delineated the symptoms of mental illnesses , but there can be some interesting overlap of  experiences. This presentation also examines the false processes in many cults or religious groups and how they differ from the spiritual awakening process.

Bio: Theresa A. Yuschok, MD, is a psychiatrist with  long-standing interests in  spiritual and psychological growth.   She is President of the C.G. Jung Society of the Triangle, Director of the Durham VA Medical Center Mental Health Clinic,and in private practice in Chapel Hill