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RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread - 4/8/2008 2:20:51 PM
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rmiles
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Joined: 3/15/2008
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I can really feel for those of us who have not only the burdens of the present but the present burderns of the past. I've spent years getting angry and frustrated at memories that simply won't let go. Yet, as time goes on the effects of those criticisms and condemnations have slowly become less hurtful. Nowadays my thoughts only go there once or twice a month.
It has been close to 21 years since I first became ill, and about the last ten years I have been taking a med that works for me, and takes away the major symptoms of my illness.
I have found over the years that the pains of the past don't always lose the intensity that they first had but that they can actually build in intensity because I also know how much they have effected me, and how much of my life they have taken away.
The vast majority of my friends are people who also live with illness, and when I talk about this stuff they know exactly what I'm saying. And many of them have a sincere faith in Christ.
Yet, building a Christian Fellowship is "frowned upon" within our Mental Health system, because of a) the stigmatized agenda of Christian ministry, and b) the effects of "spirituality" on delusional, manic, and depressive thinking.
I'm wondering, though, if the arms of the church are not open wide for those suffering from Mental Illness, wouldn't professionals see this as another reason for keeping Christ out of the Psyche Ward?
Luckily, (providentially) attitudes are slowly changing within our health system, but unfortunately more toward an eclectic ideology (i.e. spiritually is something which gives meaning to a person's life) within the psycho-social rehab methodology; which sees the benefits of church socialization, but not the daily activity of Jesus in our lives.
You could almost say that we find ourselves stuck with a leg in two different worlds.
So my question is,
Is it possible to bring Christ into the psycho-social rehab model, and those being treated within that framework, without running into the issues of the "promotion of delusional ideologies"?
< Message edited by rmiles -- 4/8/2008 5:24:09 PM >
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RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread - 4/9/2008 11:29:46 AM
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Leon_Figg3
Posts: 438
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quote:
ORIGINAL: rmiles
So my question is,
Is it possible to bring Christ into the psycho-social rehab model, and those being treated within that framework, without running into the issues of the "promotion of delusional ideologies"?
This is an interesting question and seems to be a question simialar to the ones I often often find myself asking whenever my wife has a bi-polar episode.
I have come to the conclusion that there is no area of human existence that is more difficult for Christians/ the church to minister to than in the area of mental health. I believe this is so because it not only challenges our beliefs in the spiritual conflict of good v evil/ God v Satan, but it challenges our beliefs in our own role/ position/ repsonsibility/ frailties. It challenges our beliefs in a God that answers prayers, but sometimes does not answer them when we want Him to, or in a way that we want Him to. It challenges the reality of problems brought into this world, and our lives as a result of Adam breaking Man's relationship with God.
I do not mean to put down the work missionaries do, but it seems to me that in some respects ministering to people in other lands with different belief systems and cultures may be easier to minister to than to minister to people with a wide range of mental health issues whether they be mild or severe, not to mention behavour lifestyles once (and sometimes still) believed to be based on mental health issues.
To some extent Christians are involved in mental health, and Christianity is accepted (as you pointed out). My experience has shown me that the problem/ the friction between mental health treatment and Christianity resullt from the disconnect; between reality and an appropriate/ realistic relationship with God/ Jesus in their situation; that many of those trying to minister to people with mental health issues seem to exhibit and preach.
I do not mean to be critical of Charismatics in general. I belong to a church that is a bit charismatic/ Pentecostal, and I am well aware that not only does God work in a person's life in miraculous ways, He is able to miraculously cure people of illnesses that are believed to be incurable. I am also well aware that He has his own reasons for not answering prayers as we humans wish He would, when w wish He would. My issues are with those with an extreme interpretation of the Bible and what it says about "naming and claiming God's promises"-the "name it and claim it" crowd. Unfortuneately these are the kinds of Christians my wife tends to gravitates to, and who seem to be involved in ministries to people with mental health issues.
From my experience it is these Christians (extreme Charisimatics)and their beliefs that, more often than not tend to make matters worse rather than better. It is also these same Christians/Charismatics that are no where to be found when a person with mental health issues relapses and once again ends up in a hospital or nursing home because God has not answered their prayers as, and when they desired Him to.
If I may I would like to ask my own little question.
Where is the Church in ministering to the family members of those dealing with mental health issues?
Too often I have felt the invisible victim of my wife's illness. Too often I have felt myself, and been viewed as the responsible party (Jesus and Satan) in the illness's processes, and recovery.
_____________________________
To whom much is given, much is expected.
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RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread - 6/7/2008 12:51:28 AM
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rmiles
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Joined: 3/15/2008
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I think people forget that when somebody is ill, the real people who support, help, and treat a person through the illness are family members. Doctors, nurses, and mental health workers work with the person who is ill, but if the person is not in a hospital or group home, the actual one on one assistance by professionals is most likely an hour or so a week (if the client is lucky). The other 23'50" a day (on average) is provided in one way or another by family members.
One of the issues which families face is that because of privacy laws they may never really know the 'working' diagnosis or prognosis of the illness; which also restricts their ability to support the person they love.
Family members may also take on the person's financial burdens, housing and medical care, along with providing basic needs including social and psychological support. Families also have the burden of advocating and educating people about a person's illness while balancing the real issues of trust and disclosure which the ill person has concerning his or her own illness.
Family members are also usually the only people who have a real invested interest in the person who is ill, while at the same time being the ones who face the brunt of the person's illness and symptoms. It is obvious to me that family members are the real heroes when it comes to being primary care givers.
Whether leadership or membership of a church recognizes the need for family support in terms of a "Primary Care Giver Bible Study group" or a "Mental Health Crisis Prayer Chain", may not fit the overall demographics of a particular church, and are thus lumped in together with all the other needs of the congregation, whose needs are met by the ten minute pastoral prayer on Sunday mornings.
Maybe one solution is to get in contact with other churches in the community and find out if there are other primary caregivers (husbands, wives, children (adult and regular), brothers and sisters) who also have family members who are suffering with mental illness and forming a support group which meets the needs and beliefs of its members, as a supplement to the ministry of the churches to which people belong. At this time I am not aware of a particular ministry model by which to guide the development of such a group, but it would be much better than having family members living in a different form of isolation.
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RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread - 6/7/2008 12:54:54 PM
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DenimDiva
Posts: 5063
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Leon_Figg3
Where is the Church in ministering to the family members of those dealing with mental health issues?
Too often I have felt the invisible victim of my wife's illness. Too often I have felt myself, and been viewed as the responsible party (Jesus and Satan) in the illness's processes, and recovery.
Some churches are stepping up to the plate. However, too many still see it as taboo.
We often do forget about the family members and friends who are trying to deal with a loved one's mental illness. That's too bad and it's an area that we Christians in general need to work on.
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RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread - 6/7/2008 2:32:09 PM
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womaninchrist
Posts: 418
Joined: 4/14/2005
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quote:
ORIGINAL: DenimDiva
Some churches are stepping up to the plate. However, too many still see it as taboo.
We often do forget about the family members and friends who are trying to deal with a loved one's mental illness. That's too bad and it's an area that we Christians in general need to work on.
And that stigma/taboo is exactly the problem. Its exactly why so many churches won't minister to the mentally ill and their families or if they do it's only in ways that finger point and cast blame. Too many churches still hold onto beliefs that mental illnss is a character flaw, a spiritual failing, a lack of proper spiritual strength or practices, a sign of curses, proof of demonic activity/oppression/possession, proof of sin, etc. - rather than being an illness. When the church can get past this, we'll start seeing more and better ministry to the mentally ill and their families.
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RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread - 6/7/2008 3:11:07 PM
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DenimDiva
Posts: 5063
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quote:
ORIGINAL: womaninchrist
quote:
ORIGINAL: DenimDiva
Some churches are stepping up to the plate. However, too many still see it as taboo.
We often do forget about the family members and friends who are trying to deal with a loved one's mental illness. That's too bad and it's an area that we Christians in general need to work on.
And that stigma/taboo is exactly the problem. Its exactly why so many churches won't minister to the mentally ill and their families or if they do it's only in ways that finger point and cast blame. Too many churches still hold onto beliefs that mental illnss is a character flaw, a spiritual failing, a lack of proper spiritual strength or practices, a sign of curses, proof of demonic activity/oppression/possession, proof of sin, etc. - rather than being an illness. When the church can get past this, we'll start seeing more and better ministry to the mentally ill and their families.
agreed
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RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread - 6/7/2008 5:53:23 PM
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agapetos
Posts: 5363
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: This side of the lil duck pond!
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quote:
I think people forget that when somebody is ill, the real people who support, help, and treat a person through the illness are family members. Actually, my family don't know that I have mental health problems. If they did, I'd be really ill (ie from them telling me what I should be doing). Added to which, they all live quite some distance away from me and I have no desire to move to be nearer them.
_____________________________
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not using them in fruit salads!
My blog
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RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread - 6/25/2008 11:33:31 PM
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solo_soprano22
Posts: 2343
Joined: 4/27/2005
From: I'm a Southern girl
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: DenimDiva
quote:
ORIGINAL: Leon_Figg3
Where is the Church in ministering to the family members of those dealing with mental health issues?
Too often I have felt the invisible victim of my wife's illness. Too often I have felt myself, and been viewed as the responsible party (Jesus and Satan) in the illness's processes, and recovery.
Some churches are stepping up to the plate. However, too many still see it as taboo.
We often do forget about the family members and friends who are trying to deal with a loved one's mental illness. That's too bad and it's an area that we Christians in general need to work on.
One of my friends is in pharmacy school (I'm in biology), and she told me that in her country they teach that mental illness is of the Devil or a result of sin... and because that's what she was taught, that's what she believed for a long time. She still doesn't get all the things that can cause it, but I think many Christians think mental illness is something you can intrinsically think yourself out of because it can have no real biological basis (e.g., you have some spiritual issues or some sin caused it).
_____________________________
For God, For Learning, Forever.
"Sometimes I Wonder Why" (Blog entry)
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RE: Mental Health Debate - One Stop Thread - 6/27/2008 1:34:34 PM
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cow451
Posts: 3672
Joined: 5/6/2005
Status: online
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quote:
ORIGINAL: DenimDiva
quote:
ORIGINAL: solo_soprano22
quote:
ORIGINAL: DenimDiva
quote:
ORIGINAL: Leon_Figg3
Where is the Church in ministering to the family members of those dealing with mental health issues?
Too often I have felt the invisible victim of my wife's illness. Too often I have felt myself, and been viewed as the responsible party (Jesus and Satan) in the illness's processes, and recovery.
Some churches are stepping up to the plate. However, too many still see it as taboo.
We often do forget about the family members and friends who are trying to deal with a loved one's mental illness. That's too bad and it's an area that we Christians in general need to work on.
One of my friends is in pharmacy school (I'm in biology), and she told me that in her country they teach that mental illness is of the Devil or a result of sin... and because that's what she was taught, that's what she believed for a long time. She still doesn't get all the things that can cause it, but I think many Christians think mental illness is something you can intrinsically think yourself out of because it can have no real biological basis (e.g., you have some spiritual issues or some sin caused it).
Oh, I've lost count of how many people have prayed the demons out of me. 
You must be really bad.  Seriously, the people that have the most strident anti-mental health attitudes tend to be people I've found to have a few bricks missing.
_____________________________
Wenn zuerst Sie nicht gelingen, Versuch, versuch wieder. Geben Sie dann auf. Es gibt keinen punkt, in ein zu sein, verdammt Narren darum. -- W. C. Fields
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