THIS IS A TEST SITE
Mental health concerns in the context of faith:
A Christian Perspective
Meet Norman:
Norman is a Christian and lives with Bipolar mood disorder. Norman was baptised and he currently serves on the church/parish council. Norman holds a good job but has periods where he is anxious and has to take extra sick days off. He is on three different medications.
Norman has often struggled with the question of reconciling mental health and faith. Norman recounts:
My experience of mental health issues challenged my beliefs and practices. Some time ago when I was feeling high with lots of energy I joined in all the church activities and I was meeting attractive women with the possibility of dating and looking forward to entering into a faithful Christian marriage. I was excited to be of service to God. But things shifted, instead of doing my morning prayers I was sleeping in and losing interest in church activities. I needed more rest and my energy was depleted. I stopped attending men’s breakfasts and serving the community meal to the poor. I kept missing going to worship on Sundays and as a result felt much guilt. I kept asking myself: What did I do wrong? What did I do to make my life feel so bad? Where is God? Does He still care? Was I a fool to believe what I so strongly believed?
I have held these questions over time. And I realized that through attending Christian retreats, Bible study, seeing a Spiritual Director and having an affirming community, that there are spiritual truths that can help me answer these questions.
I go back to Genesis and see that God created all things good and that He loves me and that I am made in His image. I am able to love myself because of who I am, a child of God born in His image and likeness; not because of what I am or what I can do, but simply because of who I am.
I am also able to understand that God is bigger than I am. That even though I may make a mistake, He holds the bigger picture and the future.
Though I might go through times of doubt, doubt does not anger God. I can work with God’s help through doubt to grow closer to Him. Doubt can actually deepen my faith as I question and find rich traditions of faith to help grow my understanding.
After the times of struggle, I notice that my character is changing for the good. Romans 5 vs 3-5 says:
“Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
My experience of a mental illness also became a spiritual experience. There is the opportunity to join Christ in His suffering -- to experience my own small deaths and resurrection life. My own suffering has also alerted me to the brokenness of all humanity. And our common need for Christ’s body broken for us to bring restoration and healing.
The experience of hurt and pain became a simple yet profound prayer. The Spirit groans within us, often without words. These moments of profound prayer deepened my faith. I am now able to journey with others to these deep places without judgment and with heartfelt compassion.
My experience of mental health illness means that I sometimes do some behaviours that are not aligned with my Christian values. During mania, my impulsivity and over sexualized behaviour, resulted in me telling an inappropriate joke while volunteering at a senior’s meal. I was asked by the coordinator to leave the event and was asked to meet with the Priest/Pastor of the community.
Before that meeting, I met with a fellow Christian friend who gently encouraged me to confess what I had done. I was given the opportunity to explain my condition and to come out of a long life of secrecy. This was a turning point for both my mental illness and my trust in my community. This act of sharing opened up what had been a long and lonely struggle.
