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=                          Spiritual_bypass                          =
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                            Introduction
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Spiritual bypass or spiritual bypassing is a "tendency to use
spiritual ideas and practices to sidestep or avoid facing unresolved
emotional issues, psychological wounds, and unfinished developmental
tasks". The term was introduced in the mid 1980s by John Welwood, a
Buddhist teacher and psychotherapist. Clinicians in pastoral
psychology have identified both beneficial and detrimental
manifestations of behavior that could be described as spiritual
bypass.


                             Background
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American psychologist John Welwood coined the term in 1984 after
noting that some people, by resorting to spirituality to avoid
difficult or painful emotions or challenges, tended to suppress
aspects of their identity and needs and stall their emotional
development.


                Clinical significance and treatment
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Clinicians do not necessarily regard spiritual bypass as unhealthy
when it is utilized as a temporary approach to coping with acute
stress or an intense "spiritual emergency". Furthermore, some
researchers have argued that certain behaviors labelled as "spiritual
bypassing" may simply be a normal and even inevitable stage of any
approach to spiritual development.

On the other hand, when spiritual bypass is used as a long-term
strategy for ignoring or suppressing unaddressed mental health issues,
negative consequences can include "the need to excessively control
others and oneself, shame, anxiety, dichotomous thinking, emotional
confusion, exaggerated tolerance of inappropriate behavior,
codependence, compulsive kindness, obsession or addiction, spiritual
narcissism, blind allegiance to charismatic teachers, and disregard
for personal responsibility". In cases where it is deemed detrimental,
spiritual bypass may be addressed with various forms of psychotherapy,
including focusing and motivational interviewing, although there is
little evidence on which to base treatment aside from anecdotes and
individual case reports.


                      Limitations of research
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Existing research has been limited by relatively homogeneous sampling,
and there is a need for more cross-cultural studies to provide a "more
global perspective" and explore the concept's relevance to diverse
populations.


Buddhist concepts
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* Buddhism and psychology
* Five faults and eight antidotes
* Five hindrances
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* Kleshas (Buddhism)
* Ten fetters


Other religious concepts
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* Intermediate zone
* Spiritual materialism
* Vāsanā


Western psychological concepts
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* Avoidance coping
* Defence mechanisms
* Erikson's stages of psychosocial development
* Experiential avoidance
* Introspection illusion
* Psychological mindedness
* Psychological repression
* Psychological resistance
* Resistance (creativity)
* Wishful thinking


License
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Original Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritual_bypass