Mental health and the Fall

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Ian
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Mental health and the Fall

Post by Ian » Mon Oct 19, 2009 1:37 pm

I am the self-confessed backslidden Englishman whose e-mail Steve read out last week. I had intended my first post to be something else, but a lady`s call on last Wednesday’s broadcast sent my thoughts back to an issue closer to my heart. Her daughter had taken her own life. Likewise so did a good friend of mine back in the 80s. He was a very devout Christian who sought a purely spiritual solution to his worsening mental problems. I share some of his (nervous!) character traits, but manage myself in more holistic ways, primarily a rigorous exercise routine, including hard alpine climbing here in Switzerland.
Christians accept that physical illness occurs independently of a particular person’s sinful culpability at the time. It’s just the nature of things since the Fall. Godly men who “abide in Christ” and “keep a short account with God”, die of cancer too.
My question is this – is mental health fundamentally different? Will a certain number of Christians fall prey to severe mental illness regardless of their and other’s best efforts?
If it is essentially no different, then: 1) what of God’s promises to the Christian? e.g. “come to me all you …and I will give you rest”etc?
2) what is reasonable to expect in my reapproach to God – that I will be made “psychologically whole”? I am in borderline unbelief about God’s providential work since that episode in the 80s in particular, though I don’t doubt His atoning work on the Cross.

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Jason
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Re: Mental health and the Fall

Post by Jason » Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:14 pm

Ian, welcome to the family. This is something I'm also very curious about but am not qualified to answer. So I guess we'll be curiously waiting together.

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steve
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Re: Mental health and the Fall

Post by steve » Mon Oct 19, 2009 5:57 pm

I don't know if anyone is qualified to answer this. I have some germinal thoughts on the general subject. Others may build more on this foundation, or else suggest better ideas.

I don't think that the term "mental health" describes a phenomenon that is parallel to "physical health," in most cases.

1. There are certainly cases where physiological factors (e.g., brain damage or tumors, thyroid disorder, hypoglycemia, etc.) have an adverse (and involuntary) effect on the moods, the perception or the rationality of a patient, and where disordered "mental" processes result. I would feel more comfortable in speaking of these as cases of brain injury or body chemistry issues, rather than "mental" illnesses. They are physical problems, and, properly, "sicknesses"—the domain of medical professionals and similar care-givers.

In such cases, the patient can hardly be regarded as responsible for his/her dysfunction, and, where a cure is not available, I am sure that God does not look unfavorably upon the sufferers either. Such chronic physical problems, if relief cannot be found through medical aid, must be endured by the patient in the same sense that Parkinson's Disease, diabetes, or any other incurable conditions must be endured. If medical assistance can help, I think the Christian is warranted in seeking a cure through this avenue.

2. There are cases where there is no physical cause, no chemical imbalance, no brain damage, but where a person is tormented in mind or behaves undesirably. Where there is no physical cause of the condition, I am less minded to approve of the term "mental illness," except as a metaphor (as when we say, "We live in a sick society"). There is no actual "sickness" that can be diagnosed, and I do not count a non-physical problem to be the domain of medical professionals. It is better understood as a spiritual problem.

I don't consider "spiritual problems" to be a monolithic category. There are different kinds. I personally think that the spiritual realm may be as complex as is the physical realm (which is why the discipline of theology can be as complex as is that of physics). The kinds of spiritual maladies may be as numerous as the number of physical diseases that one may encounter.

One category of spiritual problems would be those caused by demonic spirits. These may include full-blown or partial "possession," or merely harassment, accusation, intimidation, confusion, etc. There can be little help obtained by medical professionals in these cases—apart from (possibly) long-term management through drugs that disable certain brain functions.

Another category would be self-induced spiritual dysfunction, which can be caused by unforgiveness, hatred, unbelief, pride, rebellion, etc. This type of problem is probably (I am intuiting here, merely) more common in the human race than is demon possession or even physical brain disorders. Sin is universal. It is a bondage, from which we cannot free ourselves by our own power, and its effects may torment us in varying degrees, even making our lives a living hell. However, it is a condition from which we can be freed. This liberation is not understood by any major school of secular psychology, and is not cured by psychiatric medications. The truth will make us free. This does not occur simply by our being familiar with the truth, but by our submission and obedience to it through the assistance of the Holy Spirit.

We all probably know someone who has become a Christian, but who has never found complete relief from mental torments—some of whom have even committed suicide. The fact that this is as often the case with those who are under the care of "mental health" professionals as it is of those who do not receive such care should make it clear that solutions are often sought in vain from the medical field.

We should not rule-out the possibility that such Christians may have been harassed by demonic spirits. Many Christians are ignorant and/or negligent of the need for spiritual warfare. Also, not every Christian has the knowledge or the resolve to fight his/her own spiritual battles against sin. We have to guard against hasty and simplistic diagnoses or the use of too broad a brush, but it should be considered that not all behavior and mood dysfunctions can rightly be labeled as "sickness," nor remedied by the intervention of professionals.

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Ian
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Re: Mental health and the Fall

Post by Ian » Tue Oct 20, 2009 1:43 am

Thank you for your welcome Jason.
Thank you for your detailed and thorough reply Steve.
In my friend Will`s case, spiritual warfare was mentioned and that "there will always be losers in any war" though I know the person speaking those words meant only temporary losers (during their earthly tenure). It does however still question the efficacy of God`s promises for all Christians all of the time (during their earthly tenure).

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steve
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Re: Mental health and the Fall

Post by steve » Tue Oct 20, 2009 2:29 am

Hi Ian,

I think we sometimes make more out of what we see as promises than what they intended. Here are some of my reasons for thinking this:

1) Many of what we regard as "promises" in scripture are actually generalities or observations of norms, rather than guarantees.

2) The constant theme of "suffering in the will of God" (which runs through the whole of scripture) should caution us against assuming an absoluteness in promises of prosperity, health, long life, the granting of every request in prayer, etc.

3) There are ways that we may fail to realize certain earthly benefits due to our lack of understanding, our lack of faith, or our lack of obedience.

4) Faith may be tested by the delay of the fulfillment even of a promise which God intends to fulfill to the letter.

5) In some cases, fulfillment presupposes our willingness to have our satisfaction in eternity, rather than in this life.

These are general principles—not attempts at explaining your friend's tragic case.

I do believe unshakably in the goodness of God. If it ever seems that God has not fulfilled a given promise, I will always reconsider whether I have understood the "promise" correctly and whether I have fulfilled every related condition, rather than entertain the notion that God could fail to be faithful to His obligations. In my case, He has shown Himself faithful so often and so abundantly that I would consider myself impertinent to question His virtue rather than questioning my own.

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Ian
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Re: Mental health and the Fall

Post by Ian » Tue Oct 20, 2009 3:19 am

Thank you Steve. I may indeed be impertinent. Food for thought.

What are you doing out of bed at such an hour?

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steve
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Re: Mental health and the Fall

Post by steve » Tue Oct 20, 2009 11:08 am

I sometimes teach around the clock! Someone who stayed at my house once told me I teach in my sleep.

By the way, I didn't mean to accuse you of being impertinent. My comment about impertinence was genuinely only about myself, not you. It's great to have you participating here!

Blessings!

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Ian
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Re: Mental health and the Fall

Post by Ian » Tue Oct 20, 2009 1:32 pm

I didn`t take it that way at all. It was my own train of thought, and that`s good eh?
You (and others I read in these forums I must add) are helping to reshape my thinking, remould my prejudices. I would never have guessed this when I first clicked on your website and saw the moving text bottom left (I then thought, "here we go again").
Frankly Steve I am in awe of you and humbled that you`re so freely giving of your time, earlier in our private mails and later on this forum.

SteveF

Re: Mental health and the Fall

Post by SteveF » Tue Oct 20, 2009 3:38 pm

Steve wrote:
Someone who stayed at my house once told me I teach in my sleep.
Is there a way these lectures can be recorded and posted on the website? :lol:

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Ian
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Re: Mental health and the Fall

Post by Ian » Thu Oct 22, 2009 2:38 am

if he could remain "doctrinally sound* while talking in his sleep, that would be really impressive!

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