Mental Health

A Christian Response?

Do you ever sound like this?Why? Why Not?

That’s…She’s…He’s…

“I’m a little OCD”

“That was schizophrenic”

“A nutter…”

“You must be mental!”

spaz

lunatic

scizo

wacko

pscho

demented

crazy maniac

headcaseinsane

an idiot..

Do you ever sound like this?Why? Why Not?

That’s…She’s…He’s…

“I’m a little OCD”

“That was schizophrenic”

“A nutter…”

“You must be mental!”

spaz

lunatic

scizo

wacko

pscho

demented

crazy maniac

headcaseinsane

an idiot..

Why do you think these words exist as insults? How do you think someone with a mental health problem would feel if they heard this language?

Should we change?

Stigma and Mental HealthNearly 3 in 4 young people fear the reactions of friends when they talk about their mental

health problems.

Why?• Sign of weakness / not coping / overreacting ‘Not as serious as a physical health condition’• Unusual / weird• Language and media reinforce the idea that people with mental health problems are ‘crazy’,

‘violent’ and ‘different’• People feel like they should appreciate what they’ve got: ‘I feel so ashamed’• Church: Conflict between spiritual and medical treatments, stigma of ‘sinful’ self-harm or

suicidal thoughts• Not used to talking about serious stuff: ‘fair-weather friends’• Takes a while for people to admit to themselves that they have a problem• Scared of consequences – loss of job, responsibility, friends, trust etc.

What is a Mental Health Problem?Mental health problems range from the worries we all experience as part of everyday life to serious long-term conditions. The

majority of people who experience mental health problems can get over them or learn to live with them, especially if they get help early on.

Neurotic mental health problems: covers those symptoms which can be regarded as severe forms of ‘normal’ emotional experiences such as depression, anxiety or panic. These are common disorders.

Psychotic mental health problems: person finds it hard to know what’s real and may see, smell, hear, or feel things that no one else can. Between one and two in every 100 have disorders where they have unusual or irrational beliefs, feel unrealistically powerful, or read particular meanings into everyday events.

Most mental health problems involve feeling desperate or out of control. They find it hard to understand the world and their feelings. Some people may do things to feel in control (e.g. self harm, OCD) or even attempt suicide as a last resort. Others may resort to drugs, alcohol or other distractions.

Mental health problems are caused by social / psychological factors (family breakdown, struggling with gender/sexuality, isolation, abuse or neglect) or biological factors (genetics, substance misuse, brain malfunction) or (most likely) a mixture of the two.

Improving someone’s circumstances, counselling or prescribing medication can improve their mental health – but there is no easy solution, because there’s no clear cause. Two people can react very differently to similar circumstances.

Mental health professionals can help with a suitable diagnosis and treatment; lay people probably can’t.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54sDdNa9vek

People talk about their mental health

Mental Health Problems: Unusual?

• In any given year, 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem.• About 1 in 10 young people have a mental health problem. • And many people feel troubled without having a diagnosed, or

diagnosable, mental health problem - although that doesn’t mean they aren’t struggling to cope with daily life.• Suicide is the biggest killer of young men in the UK. Three young male

suicides occur on average every day in the UK.• Depression is the top global cause of illness and disability in

adolescents.

What we sometimes do...We distance ourselves from them.

We reject them.We try to cure them.

We fear them.We blame them.

We tell them to go ‘get cured’.We try to ‘fix them’ with amateur counselling.

We ignore them.We try to ‘solve the problem’.

We silence them.We judge them.

We think we’re better than them.We hope we’re not like them.

We shame them.

What should we do?

Individually? As a group?

Studies have shown that friendship, positive

activities, and joining social groups can

improve an individual’s mental health when

combined with medical treatment and support.

Acknowledge that you don’t understand.

Be quiet – but be there. Don’t be afraid

of silence.

Recognise that many of your ideas about mental illness may

be wrong.

Get better information.

Understand the need for treatment and encourage rather than discourage it—refuse

to belittle, mock, or demonize medical intervention.

Try to recognise yourself in the other person – not in a way that fosters fear for you own mental health but in a way

that nurtures compassion and connection.

Resist the temptation to believe that people being

treated have all their needs met. Offer spiritual guidance, love, friendship, smiles and fun times.

Draw boundaries and be consistent in enforcing them – you don’t have to sacrifice your own health and join another person an unhealthy place.

Tell them that you don’t have all the answers or easy

solutions.

LISTEN.

Be encouraging and sensitive and

reassure them that they are not to

blame.

DON’T JUDGE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RA-juzyGrf0Becka’s Story...

Would you ever be tempted to walk away? Be honest...

None of us are perfect.

Too often, the misunderstanding Christian will suggest spiritual solutions – pray more, read the bible more or may even have the attitude that the affected person can ‘snap out of it’

or ‘pull themselves together’. If I could have done, I would have done and it would not have been a mental illness! No one chooses to get ill but for the Christian, guilt is a common factor. I felt as if I was a bad Christian, unspiritual, that I had brought the

depression on myself, that I lacked faith, that I had not done enough in my Christian life.Towards the end of the 7 years of my first episode of depression, I dreaded prayer. I had been prayed for innumerable times and had taken every opportunity to receive prayer for

healing, but I felt as if I was letting the person praying down, as I could not get better however hard they prayed and however much I tried.”

“In the end a group of people who did not even know me got together specifically to pray for my healing along with my husband – he did not tell me at the time. When I had had

the brain surgery, it was expected that I would take 9 months to a year to recover, if I was to be in the 50% who responded to the operation. In fact on day 8, I can describe an

experience where a light switched on in my head and even though I didn’t realise it at first, that was when my depression lifted and I was healed. It was only afterwards that I

found out about this prayer group and realised what God had done!So only pray with the sick person with their permission and don’t be offended or think that

they are a ‘bad’ Christian, lacking in faith if they say no. It is wise to be ready to tell the Christian sufferer that their illness is not their fault, because it isn’t.

Responding as a Christian• Danger of superficial ‘fix it’ prayers?• If you just pray, is that enough?

• ‘Not enough faith’ if the prayer doesn’t work?• Would you pray for a broken leg? Cancer? A cold? A mental illness? In a

group? Alone? How would your prayer(s) be different?• How can you make it clear you don’t judge or blame the person?

• How can you share God’s love with someone feeling so unhappy and/or doesn’t know about God’s love?

“We are not called to have all the answers, understand all life's mysteries, or fix everyone's problems.

We are called to love... ”

 

a prayer....

Useful links

• http://www.mindandsoul.info/Articles/388143/Mind_and_Soul/Resources/Testimonies/Christians_and_Mental.aspx• http://www.christianitytoday.com/women/2013/april/healthier-christ

ian-response-to-mental-illness.html?paging=off• http://www.rethink.org/living-with-mental-illness/young-people/supp

orting-a-friend-or-relative-with-their-mental-health• Samaritans - offers a 24-hour helpline for anyone who is distressed

or experiencing emotional problems. Telephone: 08457 90 90 90 Email: jo@samaritans.org