May 12 – Part Two - No Health Without Mental Health

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them” - Psalm 139: 13-16 ESV

Mental health problems are common, especially depression, anxiety, and misuse of alcohol and other drugs. Throughout the course of any person’s life, it is highly likely that they will either develop a mental health problem themselves or come in contact with someone who does.The statistics for mental health problems are quite alarming. At least one in four people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their life and one in six adults has a mental health problem at any one time.

Some mental health problems are long lasting and can significantly affect the quality of people’s lives, especially if they are not treated. Some people only experience a single episode of mental ill health. Others, who may have longer standing problems, can enjoy a high quality of life and fulfilling careers. However, the personal, social and economic costs of mental ill health can be considerable. No other health area combines frequency of occurrence with persistence and breadth of impact to the same extent. The stigma attached to mental ill health and the social barriers that surround it amplify its direct effects and damage the life chances of people with mental health problems.

One of the important implications of the biblical perspective of humanity is that no one enjoys perfect mental health. To one degree or another sin affects everyone. Just as we are all physically deficient in one way or another we also experience less than perfect mental health. We all need healing in one way or another. The most important aspect for us as Christians is the assurance that healing is possible. As the ministry of Jesus shows, God’s ideal for us is that we would prosper and be in good health even as our soul prospers. Jesus’ miracles of healing restored people physically, mentally, socially and spiritually. Therefore, they remind us of our essential identity as children of God. They remind us of our deficiencies and our brokenness and they reassure us that restoration is possible.

For most people, recovery from mental illness is strongly connected to other social factors for example, income, housing, education, employment and social care and support. Mental illness is still shrouded in confusion, and leading mental health experts expressing concerns that mental health is still 'largely invisible', so what does the future hold for mental health?

People with mental ill-health within the community and local church are often spiritually neglected. The signs on the front of our churches say “WELCOME,” but many of these same churches present insurmountable barriers to individuals with disabilities. God’s church is a community of people who share the Gospel with everybody. Christ healed the boy with deaf and mute spirits (Mark 9). His healing of the man that was paralyzed (Luke 5:18-26) is clear evidence of a new, intentional ministry to those with disabilities.

It suggests that in every congregation there should be a band of compassionate workers responsible for sensitizing and reminding the entire church of its mission to people with mental health problems and other disabilities. 
 


Grace Walsh

This sensitive article is rounded off with a powerful personal testimony by “David Ring – Life story”.  Click on the picture to listen.