This article analyses the experience of a patient who received inpatient treatment for mental illness to explore the impact of family relationships and local beliefs (such as the belief in the “protector of the home” in Northeast China) on the medicalseeking behaviour and the recovery process of patients with mental illness. Additionally, by integrating previous research, this study further explores the positive and negative effects of religious beliefs on mental illness and analyses their applicability within the modern medical system. It is hoped that this research will provide a broader sociocultural perspective for the comprehensive treatment of mental illness.