روزه داري در ماه مبارك رمضان و سلامت رواني

Mental Health and Fasting in Ramadan

Objectives: The study was conducted to evaluate the correlation between fasting in the month of Ramadan and mental health. Method: 75 seemingly healthy Moslem men intending to fast in Ramadan 1418 lunar calendar (1376 solar calendar, 1997 Christian calendar) as they had in the previous years were studied in a two-month period. The subjectsʹ mental health was assessed through SCL-90-R at three stages, once in the beginning of Ramadan, then at the end of Ramadan, finally a month later. The data were analyzed through t-tests. Findings: The average scores of the subjects who fasted in Ramadan showed significant difference across all scales at the end of Ramdan as well as a month later. Fasting in Ramadan only significantly reduced the average score on the scale paranoia. The reduction was still significant at the follow up, a month after Ramadan. The study demonstrated that the scores obtained by the married subjects on obsession, compulsion, and paranoia scales were higher after Ramadan as compared to single subjects; the reduction of paranoia and the overall coefficient of symptoms were greater among the employed fasting subjects than their unemployed counterparts. Results: Fasting in Ramadan reduces some mental disturbances, but such reduction are not significant in most cases. There is a need for more controlled studies.