Understanding Mental Health (eBook)

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UNDERSTANDING MENTAL HEALTH AND ITS IMPORTANCE

There is no health without mental health.

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social
well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

This definition from the WHO implies that mental health is more than just the absence of mental disorders or disabilities. Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can maintain healthy relationships, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and contribute positively to his or her community. Mental health is fundamental to our individual and collective ability as humans to think, emote, interact with each other, earn a living, and enjoy life. As Sigmund Freud, father of psychoanalysis succinctly stated, “Psychological health is the ability to love and work.”

What Do the Scriptures Reveal
About Mental Health?

The Triune Nature of Man

From a biblical perspective, man is a tripartite being. For example, 1 Thessalonians 4:23 says: “May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Also, we see in 3 John 2: “Brethren, I pray that you may succeed and prosper and be in good health (physically) just as I know your soul prospers (spiritually)” (AMP). The parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31) illustrates the same idea; after these men died and (their bodies) were buried, their spirits and personalities remained alive and intact. They retained intelligent thought, emotion, and memory.

Used with permission from Faith and Health Connection Ministry

[www.faithandhealthconnection.org]

These scriptures reveal our tripartite nature—that man is a spirit that lives in a body and has a soul—the seat of thought, emotions, will and intelligence. A second important takeaway is that these scriptures affirm God’s desire for us to be whole in every aspect of our being: physical, mental, spiritual, and material. This biblical understanding serves as a framework for understanding mental illness and mental health.

The Fall of Man and its Effects on Mental Health

Most people that profess faith in Christ easily grasp the effect of the Fall on the physical and spiritual aspects of Man’s nature. We understand that when the first man, Adam, disobeyed God, sin entered the spirit of man and fundamentally corrupted our innermost nature. Humankind, both men and women became sinners, whose thoughts, inclination, and behavior began to consistently run counter to God’s original plan.

We also instinctively understand physical sickness because of the Fall, manifesting in disease, aging, and death. We even understand and accept that the Fall corrupted creation itself (Romans 8:20–21), with the emergence of natural disasters, distorted weather systems, and of harmful pathogens such as viruses and bacteria being just a few effects of the Fall. We, however, struggle with the idea that mental illness could similarly be linked to the effects of the Fall. If sin and physical sickness are manifestations of the Fall, does it not stand to reason that mental illness could also be a result of it?

Traditionally, church doctrine has often attributed mental illness (and other medical problems such as cancer and seizures) to demonic activity. There are scriptures that allude to this. For instance, we are told in the Old Testament that King Saul was “tormented by a vexing spirit” (1 Samuel 16:14–22) because of his disobedience to God. Viewed through the lens of modern medicine, Saul’s mood swings and paranoia are similar to symptoms often seen in persons experiencing a severe mental illness. The Madman of the Gerasenes (Mark 5:1–15), who was tormented by a legion of demons, also displayed symptoms often seen in persons with severe mental illnesses. These include mood instability, self-injury, insomnia, and unnatural strength.

Scripture, however, describes other situations in which individuals experienced severe mental, emotional health, or medical problems that were not attributed to demonic activity. For example, Elijah, an Old Testament prophet, became severely depressed and suicidal (1 Kings 19:4–8) after receiving death threats from Queen Jezebel. Daniel 4 provides an account of a change in the behavior and the level of functioning of King Nebuchadnezzar. The description (Dan 4: 33-34) suggests that he experienced a mental health crisis of some sort. In this account, there is no indication of demonic activity involved. It is also noteworthy that the king apparently made a full recovery, sufficiently so that he fully resumed his royal duties (Dan 4: 36). King Hezekiah nearly died from a boil (abscess) (2 Kings 20:1-7).

Certain New Testament accounts also report medical problems that were not attributed to demonic activity. For example, Timothy seems to have had a nagging stomach problem for which Paul advised him to use a little wine (1 Timothy 5:23). Epaphras, a fervent intercessor, once fell so ill that Paul feared for him and his life (Philippians 2:25–27). The man who was born blind (John 9), the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:25) and the long-time paralytic (John 5: 1–16) all experienced serious medical conditions, which were not linked in any way to demonic activity.

Notwithstanding these observations, the scriptures reveal that the main way the enemy wages war against us is through deception (see Matthew 4:3–11, John 8:44). Our adversary, the devil, attempts to influence our thoughts in negative ways by presenting us with either half-truths or outright lies, that distort our perception of God, or of ourselves and others. These negative thought processes, when believed and acted on repeatedly over time, become what the Bible refers to as “strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4): negative, self-defeating thought patterns, or harmful beliefs and behavior that can be extremely difficult to break. Interestingly, brain science advances the same basic idea; that humans develop ingrained neural patterns through repetition in thought and behavior. In the mental health field, these ingrained thought patterns are sometimes referred to as schemas. When they are sufficiently distorted, they produce or contribute to the emotional distress and associated maladaptive behavior that is seen in many mental health disorders.

Fortunately, God has made provision for our mental health. In Luke 4:18–19, Christ announced the divine exchange that He was to make on behalf of humanity through His sacrifice. This includes “…the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and garment of praise instead of despair”, indicating mental healing and health. The same promise is conveyed in Isaiah 61:1–3 and Matthew 8:17: “He took our griefs and carried away our diseases” and in 1 Pet 2:24: “by His wounds we were healed.” These scriptures all promise restoration to health, including mental and emotional health. Like all other divine promises, however, these promises must be appropriated.

The key to walking in the liberties that Christ’s sacrifice purchased for us is summarized in John 8:32—abiding in His Word. As we abide in God’s word, we come to know the Truth, learning what has been accomplished for us through Christ’s sacrificial death. And as that truth dawns upon our hearts (see 2 Pet 1:19) and transforms our minds, we are made free. One of the ways that His truth frees us is that it enables us to recognize and “… pull down strongholds (distorted thought patterns), cast down imaginations (false, inaccurate, negative, or unwholesome mental images) and bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4).

In other words, understanding and thinking in line with the Truth of God’s word restructures our thinking patterns, enabling us to think in healthier ways, which brings true freedom.

It is noteworthy that this same basic principle of recognizing, analyzing, and restructuring one’s thoughts underlies Cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT, a highly effective form of psychotherapy that is used in treating many psychiatric conditions. For example, we are instructed in the scriptures to fill our conscious minds with God’s thoughts of power, freedom, joy, and peace (Colossians 3:1 and Philippians 4:13). As we do this, we are “transformed by the renewal of (our) minds’’ (Rom 12:1-2). We begin to progressively experience the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God, which includes “righteousness, peace and joy,”—hallmarks of the Kingdom of God, and of mental health.

An important caveat: Mental health conditions occur on a spectrum ranging from mild-moderate to severe-profound. Many individuals experiencing a severe mental illness are often so affected by their symptoms that they cannot simply “get it together” by force of will. They often need treatment that combines many different approaches and may need that treatment and support over an extended period. Contrary to common myth, however, many individuals with mental health conditions (even those with severe conditions) often recover and go on to live rewarding lives. It is therefore best to seek professional help early to determine the best path for treatment.

What has Modern Science Discovered
About Mental Health Disorders?

Modern scientific tools such as imaging and genetic studies have expanded our understanding of how medical conditions occur. This includes mental...