Peace In The Promise

What is Mental Health?

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), “mental health is a state of mental wellbeing that enables individuals to cope with the stressors of life, recognize their abilities, learn well, work well and actively contribute to their community.” Mental health is more than just the absence of mental disabilities but exists on a multidimensional spectrum which looks very different for every individual who encounters a mental health concern.

An individual’s mental state is considered healthy when they possess the ability to regulate their psychological and biopsychosocial states where they can manage significant life difficulties whilst maintaining general functioning in instrumental activities of daily living.

There is definitely a difference between mental wellness and mental illness.

People often think, that when one is happy, they are experiencing mental wellness. This is often not the case because as it states in Proverbs 14:13: “Laughter can conceal a heavy heart, but when the laughter ends, the grief remains”. Mental wellness does not only comprise of the absence of negative emotions but really a state of psychological wellbeing where one can experience positive emotional experiences, satisfaction in life whilst engaging in healthy relationships and meaningful activities, possessing the ability to cope with change and diversity.

Mental illness on the other hand, can be viewed as all the diagnosable psychological disorders or health impairments which cause significant alternations to one’s thinking, emotions or behaviours and often leads to functional distress within one’s social family or vocational life (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Psychological conditions such as anxiety, depression, bipolar, schizophrenia and trauma or stress related disorders are just a few mental conditions which constitute as mental illness, which are treatable if one can identify the symptoms and seek help from a mental health professional.

The main issue with our society today is that mental illness is a stigmatised topic with many negative inferences, so most people often choose to put on a front, until one’s emotional turmoil and mental instability can no longer be hidden. Mental wellbeing means we provide ourselves the opportunity to live a holistic life and that sometimes starts with acknowledging the mental and emotional pain in our lives and seeking the help that is required to enable true congruence in our lives! 

What role does faith play in Mental Health struggles?

It is a common world view that faith and mental health are oxymorons considering spirituality is often unscientific while mental health is. Many in the faith community may view mental health issues from a purely spiritual perspective i.e demonic oppression or a moral failing; discounting the value that psychology can offer the Christian community. As a Christian counsellor, I truly believe that faith and psychology are theoretical underpinnings which can work in tandem.

Within the Christian community there have been many stories of congregation members who have sought spiritual assistance, whether through prayer, deliverance, or biblical instruction to cope with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and trauma. In many cases if the problem has been spiritual, prayer and biblical instruction may have sufficed, however, what happens when after one has been prayed for and obtained all the spiritual help they require, the intrusive thoughts and memories from a past traumatic event persists or mental health symptoms of hallucinations, panic attacks, anxious and depressive thoughts remain?

As a Pentecostal Christian, I cannot deny the reality of God’s power for healing and delivering individuals from mental illness. I do however believe that, for some cases, psychological theory which involves an understanding of human behaviour and applying specific techniques and strategies can also be useful for facilitating healing and changing the overall trajectory of one’s mental and spiritual health.

This is where faith and mental health intersect!

“As humans we are not only physical, emotional, and social but also spiritual beings, hence, we must address all areas as it pertains to our health and overall wellbeing.”

Beatrice Waran

Without explicitly discussing mental health issues, the bible is layered with psychological principles and stories of individuals who faced mental health battles which were not distinct from their spiritual experience. The scriptures provide ample guidance for how we are to manage our thoughts and emotions. Philippians 4:6-9 and Matthew 6:25 provide us with insight about worry, anxiety and what one’s thoughts processes should consist off. 2 Corinthians 10:5 provides us with principles for dealing with core beliefs and mindsets and how behaviour can be altered through obedience to disciplined thinking.  Romans 12:2, Isaiah 26:3, Colossians 3:2 and James 1:8 are just a few principles which highlight the management of the mind.

Furthermore, the bible is not short of life circumstances of many individuals who experienced mental health battles which we see in modern day society today. In the book of Genesis, Hagar – Sarah’s Egyptian servant – grapples with emotions of rejection and abandonment because of the trauma connected to the birth of her son Ishmael. Before the death of Jesus, Peter one of the disciples must deal with emotions of worry, anxiety, betrayal, and the remorse connected to denying Jesus (John 18:15). Lastly after betraying Jesus with 30 silver coins Judas is unable to cope with the thoughts and feelings of remorse having been a key agent in the murder of the Messiah. All these characters at some point in their lives experienced the merciful presence of God and were given the opportunity to allow their faith to help resolve their mental struggles. Some were able to overcome their mental health concerns with just the influence of their faith, but it was obvious that characters like Judas may have benefited from psychological intervention as well. I hope these examples have highlighted how deeply intertwined our faith and mental health is, and how through the understanding and application of the right psychological principles (some of which have been mentioned above) one can experience mental wellbeing.