Adhering to the fundamental ethical guidelines of Buddhism, known as the five precepts, might play a role in reducing the likelihood of depression, particularly for individuals prone to high stress and neuroticism. This intriguing connection emerges from a study conducted in Thailand and shared in a well-known open-access journal.
The five precepts serve as moral compass points for Buddhists, encouraging them to abstain from harming living beings, stealing, sexual misconduct, deceitful speech, and the use of intoxicants. While these guidelines have been linked to increased well-being and life satisfaction, their potential influence on mitigating depression risk among high-risk individuals remained uncertain until now.
Researchers delved into this question by examining the relationship between personality traits, stress perception, and mood disorders. They focused on the concept of neuroticism—a personality trait characterized by emotional instability and the tendency to experience negative feelings like anxiety and irritability. Individuals with high neuroticism levels often perceive stress more intensely and are more susceptible to depression.
In their study, which spanned from late 2019 to September 2022, the team surveyed 644 Thai adults. Participants answered a series of questionnaires to assess their stress levels, neuroticism, depressive symptoms, and adherence to the Buddhist five precepts.
The analysis revealed that a strong commitment to the five precepts could indeed soften the impact of stress on depression. In other words, those who closely follow these ethical guidelines appear less prone to the depressive symptoms typically associated with high stress and neuroticism.
While the findings are promising, the researchers caution that they do not establish a direct cause-and-effect link. Moreover, the majority of the study’s participants were female and lived alone, and further investigation is necessary to see if the results hold true across different demographics and outside the Buddhist faith.
The study concludes with the suggestion that living by the five precepts not only fosters a sense of safety among others but also provides a protective barrier against depression for those practicing these principles.
