When is the dimension of the sacred ill? When illness is inherent also to the communicative, relational and institutional system of a religious creed

A strong religious drive can be a constitutive element of human identity, not only as it shapes the single subject but also a whole social, institutional group. Religion, therefore, at the micro and macro level, can give rise to a high level of awareness which can direct the view of life, orientations, discoveries, intuitions, building of meanings, prospects for the future. In this way it becomes a fundamental factor in building the group’s idea of reality. However, when a religious creed is characterized by excessive idealization, dogmatism, fanaticism, rigid hypocritical attitudes, not to mention a reduced or entirely absent connection with the historical­social context and cultural values, it can combine and amplify some character traits and psychopathological components in vulnerable, fragile even if not actually pathological subjects. Extending well beyond the single subject, it can create a maladaptive and deficient or pathological context at the relational and institutional level. From this viewpoint, the present contribution is based upon an expert case series investigation that is highly pertinent to the topic, offering points for reflection on some defective and dysfunctional modes of communication, and on aberrant personal and institutional relationships that can arise within some religious movements. These modes can aggravate or sometimes provoke situations that may also have a legal relevance, requiring a technical assessment of an objective criminological­clinical and/or psychological­psychiatric nature to achieve a better understanding not only of the individual but also of the group or institution.