I realize that there are lots of made up “holidays” and special months said aside on the calendar that aren’t actual religious or national days of celebration.
But I think we can all agree that Mental Health Awareness Month is a very important topic for all of us. Every human being with a brain can be affected by mental illness, whether personally or within their systems of family and friends.
Sadly, mental health is not something we often talk about in the life of the church. And there’s no reason we shouldn’t talk openly about it! According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) about 60 million Americans have a mental illness (that’s about 23% of the US population). Women are three (3) times more likely than men to be diagnosed with a mental illness too. However, don’t misconstrue that fact: Women are more likely to seek treatment and therefore more likely to receive a diagnosis than men, which is a sad reality.1
The Bible, we have to admit, doesn’t talk about mental illness. Simply put: It’s because they didn’t know what it was. Scholars over the years have attempted to read the biblical text and find hints of it from the various narratives. However, this is a dangerous way to read the biblical text. Suffice it to say, mental illness has most likely existed, in one form or another, for as long as humans have existed (about 300,000 years). Today we have better tools and training to be able to recognize, diagnose, and treat mental illness, thus, it seems more “popular” today and can also explain why the Bible is silent on this topic.
The National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) has a wonderful slogan: “Stigma grows in silence. Healing begins in community.” We should never be ashamed of mental and emotional difficulties that we are having. We should be as open as we’re comfortable to be to discuss the issues and to seek prayer, support, and love from our church community. So to help dispel some stigma and shame, here are some facts.
Mental illness is not someone’s fault or failure. No one asks to develop a mental illness. No one wakes up one day and decides they wish to be depressed, or suffer from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. There are a lot of complex factors involved in mental illness and not all of them are well understood. However, what research has shown us is that mental illness is not a moral failing or choice.
Mental illness is not a curse from God. For many generations people believed that those with mental illness were somehow being cursed by God for some sin they (or their family) had committed. The problem with this myth is multi-fold. One, God does not punish us…ever. God is loving, supportive, and forgiving of who we are. Secondly, we do know that mental illness often comes from genetic mutation, environmental factors, and sometimes just dumb “luck.” There doesn’t seem to be any specific combination of things which predisposes any one person to mental illness. However, we can certainly say that God isn’t filling people with suffering, misery, and grief. If that were true, why would God die on the cross to set us free from suffering and death just to cause the very same problem God was eradicating?
You’re not weak if you ask for help. Asking for help and seeking support from friends, mental health professionals, pastors, and family is a sign of strength. Remember the NAMI saying: “Stigma grows in silence. Healing begins in community.” We are all responsible to one another as humans as Christ followers. While we may not be equipped or prepared to provide definitive treatment for someone, it doesn’t mean we’re not prepared to pray, hug, love, support, and encourage each other.
Remember this: God loves you.
Whatever you’re facing or struggling with, God still loves you. God is present and active and full of love to help you. It’s ok to raise your hand and ask for help.
If you or a loved one are struggling or are in immediate crisis or danger, please call 9-1-1, visit the nearest emergency department, call 9-8-8, or Erie County Crisis Services at 814-456-2014 or 1-800-300-9558.
Please, don’t suffer in silence. Take care of yourself…and each other. It’s ok to ask for help.
1 National Institute of Mental Health. (2024, September). Mental Illness. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness