Does belief in God really help us survive tough times?
Millions of believers around the world say yes. And so does research out of Notre Dame and Ohio State University, which examined the role of faith in overcoming life’s hardships. The study drew a strong correlation between a lack of religious faith and what is known as “death by despair” – death caused by suicide or by drug or alcohol overdose. Researchers found that people who claim no religious faith are much more likely to seek an escape from life’s hardships through unhealthy means, sometimes tragically so.