If I could do anything as a Health Activist, I would educate churches about mental illness. Far too many well-meaning Christians tell people that if they had enough faith then they wouldn’t be depressed, anxious, etc. When a person is struggling with a physiologically-based disorder, faith typically will not make it “go away.” God is certainly able to heal, but He doesn’t always do so.
I also know of people with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia who have been told that they have a demon, and who have attended exorcisms. This too, can be very dangerous to a person’s mental health. I’d like to work with clergy to help them better understand mental illness, and how to better minister to people whose lives are touched by it.
I am available to speak at churches or with church staffs to share resources and possible ministry ideas with them. I try to blog about such things to bring to light this topic that is often kept in the dark due to the stigma – I truly believe the stigma exists because people don’t understand. I want to do my part to bring understanding.
I address some of these topics in my book (which I hope to publish soon), and I pray that it will also be a resource for those with mental illness and those who love them.
This post was written as part of NHBM – 30 health posts in 30 days: http://bit.ly/vU0g9J
