@Matias The idea, for example, of a loving Father in heaven also does things besides reduce stress. It can make one more vulnerable to stress in certain situations, e.g., personal tragedy concerning which the loving Father appears indifferent and/or not living up to either explicit or implied responsibilities of fatherhood. It can make one apathetic or irresponsible since the heavenly father has everything well in hand. It can make one feel justified in certain actions and attitudes that would ordinarily be harmful and dysfunctional because there is some special pleading around the heavenly father's alleged desires and demands in the matter -- or the heavenly father's alleged approval.

So thanks for acknowledging that any one of these ideas can cut both ways. I would argue that they, in fact, do.

Now it becomes a question of how often that happens and the net benefits or harms of the notion in terms of how it works out in real life. AND it becomes a question of whether the benefits alleged for any one religious idea can come ONLY via religion. Is religion or god a necessary ingredient for peacefulness, for hope, for morality? Or can it be obtained, perhaps even more effectively, in other ways?