Mental Illness and Faith

Mental Illness is a subject that is picked up more often than before. For the sake of talking or discussing without jumping to a quick conclusion. Let me lay out few things crossing my mind. Every illness whether acute, chronic, or prolonged can lead to mental illness.

Undoubtedly, it is seen from Scripture how our fallen nature can produce chemical imbalances in the brain. Human beings are psychosomatic unities. This reveals the relation between our mental and our physical. Our biological functioning can be either positively or negatively affected by our mental state. Study shows it affected 1 out of 5 people.

Take a moment to ponder the mind-body connection. A mere thought can create panic attacks and depression. Our thoughts have the ability to not only produce, but also enhance pain. As believers, we have to be able to deal with mental illnesses as a psychological reality. Cain’s mental illness took his brother’s life

The illness is treatable yet with very less permanent cure available, this is what statistics tell me. Due to my neurological disorder, I have frequented hospitals treating my chronic illness. In addition to that, I’ve met several good people through this blogging platform. Now that I’m suffering from a neurological disorder for more than a decade so I can somehow relate to the problems faced.

Several times I met patients with suicidal tendency which the doctors are taking note of it. I also see how they handle those patients with care. Some of the patients were often referred to the clinic dealing with a psychiatric problem. Bipolar issues, the excessive electrical activity in the brain cells fomenting brain parts or lesions in the brain, in simple terms have their own momentum of affecting the person.

Obviously, it is not easy to talk about the illness if you’re the one who might be affected by it. The subject of depression of talk at large sometimes makes it more difficult to admit the illness due to the cloud of embarrassment surrounding it.

However, it is not the question of diagnosis or accepting mental illness which might help. There are tons of people who hide it. It is one type of illness where most of the time they can’t control their thinking process or mind. They wanted a listener if they’re willing to talk, someone who talks to them if they listen. Yet we do not have enough time in this busy world.

Now I wanted to let in the question of faith in this subject. In the past the illnesses associated with a mental disorder as is often considered as the work of the demon or evil. There is a dark world that is very much in existence but not over the light of the world. Their work is to torment the beautiful creations of God. The dark world is defeated yet causing headless fear among the people.

When our faith increases our fear decreases. In the same way, when our fear increases we likely have lesser faith in the Power of the Risen Christ. I am unable to offer a solution but I believe having faith in God is above everything else. The anchor of life worth onto for eternity.

Nowadays we tend to treat mental illness as having not associated with our faith or the faith of the person. It really does help when the clinically trained or professional counselor uses therapy or treatment per their training.

The question that arises here is that when religious teachers often talk of depression in two colors – black and white based on their souls’ journey in the yonder world. The mentioning of fits, convulsion, or seizure in the Scripture is discomforting for someone who might suffer. Yet the best part is that it is cured most of the time when it is mentioned.

Our understanding and dig deeper into the love of God will reduce fear. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.1 John4:18

I have little or no knowledge theologically or secularly about it except for what I have read or heard the opinions of others. Analyzing is what I did best, that too I’m not encouraged to do so. Yet it is disturbing at times. I do believe God loves and care for all of the creation.

While some of the deja vu, deformed sight, auditory hallucinations, visual hallucinations I have experience in the day gone by are perhaps symptoms of serious impairment, I’m glad that my Savior holds me close not to be consumed by what I might be suffering. Yet it is costly for many good souls. It is the subconscious mind which is uplifting and damaging at the same time.

There were times I simply wanted to listen and sing along the audio of auditory hallucinations, which sometimes play a melodious musical choir until the pain appears to burst out. I’m grateful it didn’t happen very often unlike my deformed sight.

Now, I’m left with more questions than when I started writing this piece. Can we look at mental illness and faith in a different zone? Do you think depression, mental illness, or disorders are a matter of faith only? Do you think suicidal thoughts is Godlessness or the work of evil? Most people do not talk about it. That is why it is difficult to help.

Finding the balancing act:

There must be a balance between the medication process and faith. Certain people think that only faith can heal their problem, which I also believe. Yet I also believe the healing can come through the medication. Some are healed instantly in the place of the miracle while some have to wait for years persevering the bad times for good times to come. I called this period as the waiting period.

Here are few verses to ponder over if you are the one who suffers: Matthew 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Proverbs 11:14 stated that Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”

In Romans 8:18 Paul declared, “I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us.” For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

There is also a belief that mental illness might take the body but the seed of faith did not die or cannot die. In other words, can  a person of faith end their life? What is your take?

Personally, my everyday prayer to the Lord is to kindly safeguard me in my unconscious or subconscious mind so that I may not take any unlikely step during those hours or times. That, the one life he granted me and its step may not demean myself, my family, and my Savior in any unwanted ways. Come what may I want to bear my cross faithfully till the finishing line.

Putting faith in God is the answer. But just before the final cure or during the illness, there was too many a question to answer. Our weaknesses and sufferings in God’s hand will bear fruit in its given time whether here on earth or in the yonder.