Myth, Meaning, and Mental Health: Rollo May's Existential Psychology in Dialogue with Contemporary Religion and Health Research.

The contemporary mental health crisis is increasingly described in terms of meaninglessness, fragmentation of identity, and spiritual disorientation. While empirical research in religion and health has demonstrated consistent associations between religiosity, spirituality, and psychological well-being, the underlying symbolic and narrative mechanisms that sustain these associations remain insufficiently theorized. This article revisits Rollo May's concept of myth as a foundational structure of psychological integration and examines its relevance for contemporary religion and health scholarship. Drawing on existential psychology, hermeneutics, and current research in the psychology of religion, the paper argues that myth functions not as archaic fiction but as a narrative matrix that organizes identity, values, and existential orientation. The erosion of shared symbolic frameworks-what May termed a "myth vacuum"-contributes to anxiety, alienation, and loss of coherence, thereby affecting mental health. The study develops a conceptual model linking mythic-symbolic structures to psychological integration, resilience, and meaning-making and outlines implications for clinical practice, pastoral care, and empirical research. By integrating May's existential insights with contemporary findings in religion and health research, the article proposes that mythic frameworks constitute a neglected but crucial dimension in understanding the relationship between spirituality and mental well-being.