One of the most important ways we can reduce the incidence of suicide is become more willing to talk about mental illness. If people are identified early, before their illnesses get so severe, they may respond to treatment and this whole post might be unnecessary in their case. We need our communities to become places where it is considered normal to ask people questions like: How have you been feeling in your mood recently? What has been on your mind... Read more
I began to explain the distinction between mental illnesses and disorders (including developmental disorders) last week. Today I will return to this discussion, with an explanation of how we can be a part of screening for mental illnesses, even if we have had no formal training. This post has as its aim to encourage you to seek medical help for yourself or others rather than suffer in silence. As I began to explain in “Can a Christian Get Depressed?” we... Read more
Somehow the personal tragedy Rick and Kay Warren face, compounded with the atrocity committed in Boston has brought into renewed focus for me how broken our world is. A viral illness has silenced me for a day or two but I am back now with a vengeance! Truth be told there is a great need for us to consider headlong how we can tackle brokeness of all forms as churches. Today, there is something that I want to say before... Read more
They say a picture speaks a thousand words, so surely a movie speaks a million. I know that due to what happened to Matthew Warren, there are large numbers of people currently seeking to better understand Mental illnesses and disorders (see How can I recognize a possible mental illness?) I will be continuing my series of posts on the subject, but before I get back into it, I thought I would share a list of three movies that I would recommend... Read more
“Have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire” (Jude 1:22-23). Today I want to share an excerpt from one more article before returning to my own posts on this subject after the Weekend. This one is from Ann Voskamp. If you would like to find some more material, Ed Stetzer has a post collecting some of what has been written in the past week on mental illness. I’m praying all this outpouring of writing... Read more
Before I get back to my own thoughts, I’m have been pointing you to some responses of others. Today I share something from someone whose songs I grew up listening to. Little did I know what Sheila Walsh struggled with privately: Like most of you I am deeply saddened whenever I hear that a fellow believer has succumbed to suicide. For me, as for a few of you, it will always hit closer to home. My father took his life... Read more
Today I want to share a quote and link to an article that was published in Christianity Today some three years ago that was linked to by Mark D Roberts this week. My own posts on this subject will return soon: Deep depression is embodied emotional suffering. It is not simply a state of mind or a negative view of life but something that affects our physical being as well. Signs of a severe episode of depression include unfounded negative... Read more
Ed Stetzer is one of the most widely respected Christians in the West with a broad appeal that goes beyond most of our tribal boundaries. I have had the privilege of getting to know him personally a bit as well, so I was thrilled to read him speak about his article at CNN Regarding Mental Illness on his own blog. I have decided that I will highlight a couple of other articles on mental illness before returning to my own series, which... Read more
It was hours after the announcement that I heard the news that the UK’s first and only woman Prime Minister had died. In life she was always a figure that inspired love by some and hatred by others. It is alway so with every great leader. I hope that in death her impact on this great nation of mine will be re-assessed by all, no matter what political party we come from. There is no denying the massive impact this... Read more
In light of the terrible tragedy of the suicide of Matthew Warren, I am writing about a series of questions many Christian families and groups of friends will be discussing. The first post asked “Can a Christian get depression?” Today I ask two related questions, “What are mental illnesses and disorders?” and “What effects do they have?” Mental illnesses and disorders are incredibly common. If your church is not grappling with the issues mental illnesses and disorders raise, it means... Read more
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