Mental Health

While hopefully rewarding, the priestly ministry also requires a lot of heavy lifting. Accompanying people through the challenges of life, listening to their problems, and sharing in their burdens is both physically and emotionally taxing.

As with other caregiving professions, maintaining the capacity for compassion and self-gift in the face of the suffering of others requires priests to have the support necessary to maintain their own mental and emotional well-being when faced with the barrage of challenges in caring for others.

Sadly, many priests do not have the support they need. They live alone, with limited or insufficient access to brother priests both to share the load of ministry, and have the peer support necessary not to feel left in emotional isolation.

Under these circumstances priests may find their own mental and emotional well-being suffering, even to the point of developing clinical depression or anxiety, and find they are self-medicating with alcohol, tobacco, and other unhealthy behaviors to the point they have become their own problems.

Keys to Maintaining Mental and Emotional Well-Being

• Support

• Fellowship of brother priests

• Sleep, rest, recreation

• Avoid over-extending

• Community

• Hobbies

• Vacation

• Retreat

• Time alone, time with friends, time with the Lord

Symptoms of Clinical Depression

Symptoms concerning if experienced nearly every day for at least two weeks.

• Depressed mood (feeling down, depressed, empty, tearful, or irritable)

• Profoundly decreased interest in normally enjoyed activities

• Weight change (significant weight loss or gain when not trying to lose or gain weight)

• Sleep disturbance (either significant insomnia or oversleeping)

• Being either so restless or so slowed down that others notice

• Low energy and fatigue

• Excessive feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or hopelessness

• Inability to think, concentrate, or decisively make decisions

• Recurrent thoughts of death or committing suicide

Treating Depression

Studies have shown the most effective treatment for clinical depression is a combination of therapy and medication.

Symptoms of Clinically Significant Anxiety

Although some anxiety is a normal part of life, excessive anxiety and worry can impair overall functioning.

Symptoms concerning if experienced for over 6 months and result in significant impairment in functioning.

• Excessive anxiety and worry, which is difficult to control

• Restlessness

• Fatigue

• Decreased concentration

• Irritability

• Muscle tension

• Sleep disturbance

Treating Anxiety

First line treatment includes therapy (such as cognitive behavior therapy), and relaxation techniques. Medications can also be helpful for significantly impairing anxiety symptoms.

If you or a brother priest you know is struggling, seek help. When spiritual direction is not enough, consider seeking out the help of a therapist, psychiatrist, or other mental health professional. Many dioceses and orders have identified recommended providers for priests in need of mental health care. Health insurance customer service can also be consulted for a list of in-network providers. Additionally, organizations exist that specialize in providing mental health treatment to priest and religious (see below for priest-specific mental health resources).

To learn more about mental health conditions, symptoms, and treatment options, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Father, we need you. Please reach out for help if you are struggling with depression or having thoughts of harming yourself.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Lifeline is committed to improving crisis services and advancing suicide prevention by empowering individuals, advancing professional best practices, and building awareness.

Substance Use Disorders: Alcohol

Low to moderate risk drinking recommendations for men: no more than 4 drinks in a day, and no more than 14 drinks per week.

Alcohol consumption that exceeds these guidelines can lead to greater risk for the following health problems:

• Liver disease

• Heart disease

• Sleep disorders

• Depression

• Stroke

• Bleeding from the stomach

• Several types of cancer

• Injuries

• Increased difficulty managing diabetes, high blood pressure, and other conditions

Signs of a possible alcohol problem:

• Drinking to relax or feel better 

• Being unable to stop once you start 

• “Blacking out” regularly 

• Neglecting responsibilities due to drinking

• Lying about or hiding your drinking 

• Having trouble in interpersonal relationships due to drinking

• Being able to drink more than you used to 

• Experiencing withdrawal 

• Drinking in dangerous situations 

• Trying to cut down or quit drinking but being unable to 

For more information on low risk drinking, alcohol use disorders, and available treatment visit: https://www.rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/

Substance Use Disorders: Tobacco

Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking

• Cigarette smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causes many diseases, and reduces the health of smokers in general.

• Quitting smoking lowers the risk for smoking-related diseases and can add years to life.

• Cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States.

• Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to develop heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer.

• Smokers are at greater risk for diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular disease).

• Smoking can cause lung disease by damaging airways and the small air sacs (alveoli) found in the lungs.

• Smoking can cause cancer almost anywhere in the body (if nobody smoked, one of every three cancer deaths in the United States would not happen).

Health Benefits from Quitting Smoking

• Quitting smoking cuts cardiovascular risks. In just 1 year after quitting smoking, the risk for a heart attack drops sharply.

• Within 2 to 5 years after quitting smoking, risk for stroke may reduce to about that of a nonsmoker’s.

• After quitting smoking, risks for cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder drop by half within 5 years.

• Ten years after quitting smoking, the risk for developing lung cancer drops by half.

For tools and tips to help quit smoking visit: https://smokefree.gov/

Mental Health Resources for Priests

St. Luke Institute

Saint Luke Institute is an international Catholic education and treatment center dedicated to promoting a healthy life and ministry for priests, deacons and men and women religious. The Institute seeks to bring the healing ministry of Christ to those they serve through integrated psychological, spiritual, and physical treatment and education. Clients come for help with recovery from challenges such as anxiety, addiction, depression, substance abuse, boundary concerns, interpersonal problems, sexual issues, trauma, and more.

Saint John Vianney Center

The Saint John Vianney Center (SJVC) serves Catholic Clergy, Consecrated Men and Women Religious and clergy of other Christian denominations worldwide. They provide holistic, interdisciplinary, evidence-based, and individualized programs for behavioral and emotional issues, addictive disease and compulsive behaviors, and weight management, along with prevention and education. SJVC recognizes that challenging issues arise during one’s vocational journey. They help individuals navigate life’s difficulties, spiritual and vocational struggles, very stressful times, transitions, and behavior and addiction concerns. The goal of the SJVC is to restore one’s physical, behavioral, and spiritual well-being for their successful return to appropriate and effective ministry.

Guest House, Inc.

Guest House is a residential Catholic addiction treatment center with holistic, 12-step recovery program for clergy, and men and women religious. A residential program offers holistic programs based on the spirituality of the twelve-step recovery model and addresses substance use disorders, process addictions, and compulsive overeating. Guest House is staffed by dedicated, licensed, certified, on-site clinical and spiritual professionals. Residential treatment is augmented with strong aftercare support programs and educational workshops.