Mental Disorders and Medication
I write this section as a Bible-believing Evangelical Christian and as a former skeptic about psychiatric medication and some mental disorders (in fact, a long time ago, I used to be so callous that I didn't even think migraine headaches were real). If you are reading this right now and struggle with being or feeling judged because you have been diagnosed with a mental disorder, suspect you may have one or take medication, I want you to know that you are completely accepted here. As someone with many degrees, I have learned how to research. I have done a lot of research about mental disorders and psychiatric medication. I am no longer a skeptic. I have also seen and experienced much that is consistent with my research.
If you have a mental illness or disorder
If you have been diagnosed with a mental disorder, please know that God loves you as shown through the work of Jesus on the Cross (John 3:16; Romans 5:6-11; 10:8-11; Ephesians 2:1-10). God created you in His image and as His image bearer you have infinite value. YOU ARE NOT A MISTAKE. He is a good, loving and sovereign God who was not surprised when you were born or when you started having symptoms. God stands ready to hold you in His loving arms. I realize as I write this that some of you reading this will struggle to believe that you could rest in God's loving arms. That is part of the reason Agape exists - to help people just like you.
A good brain gone bad?
The human brain is the most complex living structure in the universe - and it only weighs 3 pounds. The brain controls every facet of our physical being - even the way we see, touch, smell, taste and feel. There are some 50 billion neurons in our brains communicating this information through trillions of synaptic connections. The brain is a majestic work of God to say the least! Who else could design, engineer and orchestrate such a thing?
Imagine if something so powerful and complex did not function well all the time? And would it really be such a surprise to find out that things do go wrong with the most complex living structure in the universe? Everything else in our bodies experiences corruption of some sort - why not the brain? And, who could make it go bad? Man. The fall corrupted everything - including brains. Yes, sometimes we do it to ourselves, but that does not make the corruption less real.
God has blessed us with with these incredibly complex brains to try to help people when something goes awry with their brains. Thankfully, many gifted individuals are working hard trying to solve brain disorders from A-Z - from Alzheimer's Disease to Zellweger Syndrome.
Pressure in the Evangelical Community against the use of psychiatric medication and/or the belief in mental disorders
If you are currently taking medication, please continue taking it. While it is true that the treatment of mental illness requires Christian care for complete healing, medication may still be a needed help for you. I am not against the informed use of appropriate medication under the supervision of a skilled medical professional (preferably a specialist in psychopharmacology). In fact, I believe some in the Christian community have dangerously come out against any use of medication for mental illness. Others in the Christian community are more subtle, implying "some" have a lack of faith or a sin issue if "they" use medication, but you know in your heart they mean everyone - including you. I agree that sin and faith are significant issues in Christian counseling. In fact, if it weren't for the Fall and the entry of sin into this world, we would not have mental illness at all! But when people start to imply that somehow others just need to remove sin from their lives and have this sort of perfect faith for the healing of mental illness, I question. 1 John 1:10 makes it clear that we will have sin until we meet Jesus and perfect faith is simply not attainable while we are yet sinners.
The Apostle John, writing to believing Christians, said in 1 John 1:10: "If we say we have not sinned, we make [God] a liar, and his word is not in us."
I know of no pastor or Christian who has never been sick or suffered an ailment and has been swept up to heaven alive. Therefore, no one has had faith for their healing at all times. Everyone will experience some degree of suffering in this life. And everyone will die.
It goes to the core of the Gospel to ease the suffering of others when it is not at the expense of the Gospel. See Matthew 25:31-46. The ones who condemn the easing of such suffering should be wary.
We take it for granted that we set our broken arms to heal, take aspirin for headaches, use vaccines to inoculate against the horrors of disease, perform surgeries to give sight to the blind, inject insulin to extend life to diabetics, and use dopamine agonist pills that affect the brain to ease the suffering of those with Parkinson's Disease. It seems quite reasonable that things like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, dopamine agonists, and other drugs would be used to ease the suffering, and to even provide new life, to people with mental disorders like major depression, bipolar disorder (aka manic depressive illness) and schizophrenia. Furthermore, the resulting new life in the patient can provide new life to their families.
Is there a perfect science to these drugs yet? No. Do they have negative side effects for some people? Yes. But are these medications doing a lot of good for a lot of people? Yes. So, it is the responsibility of each person, along with his/her spouse / family if applicable, to make an informed choice as to whether to go on medication, using the resources at their disposal, including the advice of a skilled medical professional who has experience in prescribing medication for their condition. It should also be a subject of prayer, asking God for wisdom and discernment as to whether it is really time to start the medication process. Finally, Christian fellowship and a church family are integral to any real, long-lasting healing that will take place.
Note: If you are not confident that you have been properly diagnosed as having a mental illness, you should also feel comfortable talking about that with me too.
If you have a mental illness or disorder
If you have been diagnosed with a mental disorder, please know that God loves you as shown through the work of Jesus on the Cross (John 3:16; Romans 5:6-11; 10:8-11; Ephesians 2:1-10). God created you in His image and as His image bearer you have infinite value. YOU ARE NOT A MISTAKE. He is a good, loving and sovereign God who was not surprised when you were born or when you started having symptoms. God stands ready to hold you in His loving arms. I realize as I write this that some of you reading this will struggle to believe that you could rest in God's loving arms. That is part of the reason Agape exists - to help people just like you.
A good brain gone bad?
The human brain is the most complex living structure in the universe - and it only weighs 3 pounds. The brain controls every facet of our physical being - even the way we see, touch, smell, taste and feel. There are some 50 billion neurons in our brains communicating this information through trillions of synaptic connections. The brain is a majestic work of God to say the least! Who else could design, engineer and orchestrate such a thing?
Imagine if something so powerful and complex did not function well all the time? And would it really be such a surprise to find out that things do go wrong with the most complex living structure in the universe? Everything else in our bodies experiences corruption of some sort - why not the brain? And, who could make it go bad? Man. The fall corrupted everything - including brains. Yes, sometimes we do it to ourselves, but that does not make the corruption less real.
God has blessed us with with these incredibly complex brains to try to help people when something goes awry with their brains. Thankfully, many gifted individuals are working hard trying to solve brain disorders from A-Z - from Alzheimer's Disease to Zellweger Syndrome.
Pressure in the Evangelical Community against the use of psychiatric medication and/or the belief in mental disorders
If you are currently taking medication, please continue taking it. While it is true that the treatment of mental illness requires Christian care for complete healing, medication may still be a needed help for you. I am not against the informed use of appropriate medication under the supervision of a skilled medical professional (preferably a specialist in psychopharmacology). In fact, I believe some in the Christian community have dangerously come out against any use of medication for mental illness. Others in the Christian community are more subtle, implying "some" have a lack of faith or a sin issue if "they" use medication, but you know in your heart they mean everyone - including you. I agree that sin and faith are significant issues in Christian counseling. In fact, if it weren't for the Fall and the entry of sin into this world, we would not have mental illness at all! But when people start to imply that somehow others just need to remove sin from their lives and have this sort of perfect faith for the healing of mental illness, I question. 1 John 1:10 makes it clear that we will have sin until we meet Jesus and perfect faith is simply not attainable while we are yet sinners.
The Apostle John, writing to believing Christians, said in 1 John 1:10: "If we say we have not sinned, we make [God] a liar, and his word is not in us."
I know of no pastor or Christian who has never been sick or suffered an ailment and has been swept up to heaven alive. Therefore, no one has had faith for their healing at all times. Everyone will experience some degree of suffering in this life. And everyone will die.
It goes to the core of the Gospel to ease the suffering of others when it is not at the expense of the Gospel. See Matthew 25:31-46. The ones who condemn the easing of such suffering should be wary.
We take it for granted that we set our broken arms to heal, take aspirin for headaches, use vaccines to inoculate against the horrors of disease, perform surgeries to give sight to the blind, inject insulin to extend life to diabetics, and use dopamine agonist pills that affect the brain to ease the suffering of those with Parkinson's Disease. It seems quite reasonable that things like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, dopamine agonists, and other drugs would be used to ease the suffering, and to even provide new life, to people with mental disorders like major depression, bipolar disorder (aka manic depressive illness) and schizophrenia. Furthermore, the resulting new life in the patient can provide new life to their families.
Is there a perfect science to these drugs yet? No. Do they have negative side effects for some people? Yes. But are these medications doing a lot of good for a lot of people? Yes. So, it is the responsibility of each person, along with his/her spouse / family if applicable, to make an informed choice as to whether to go on medication, using the resources at their disposal, including the advice of a skilled medical professional who has experience in prescribing medication for their condition. It should also be a subject of prayer, asking God for wisdom and discernment as to whether it is really time to start the medication process. Finally, Christian fellowship and a church family are integral to any real, long-lasting healing that will take place.
Note: If you are not confident that you have been properly diagnosed as having a mental illness, you should also feel comfortable talking about that with me too.