“Mental illness does not exist! If you suffer from depression, then you don’t have enough faith in God or you must be sinning.”
These were the words that came from the mouth of a self-appointed, uneducated pastor of a hip relevant church on the outskirts of Winston-Salem, NC. My jaw dropped. Then I tightened my lips into a strong thin line, narrowed my eyes, and began clenching my teeth. My fury was palpable. I sent him an email expressing my anger and outright disagreement. I explained that I had been diagnosed with mental illness and that it is not a manifestation of a delusion nor does its origins stem from a lack of religious faith in God. I laid out examples of characters from the Bible that seemed to express a state of mental illness. Job, Peter, Noah, King Solomon, David, etc.Ā
He replied, quite disinterestedly, with “Do your research and then get back to me. Mental illness is just man’s way of excusing their rebellion against God.”
Disturbing? Yes. As it should be. Those with mental illness often face ostracism for simply being honest about their condition. For getting help. For admitting their lives are unmanageable and help is needed. It is still widely acceptable to make jokes about therapy or mental institutions. The word “crazy” gets thrown around as reason to write some off, or maybe just for giggles. I do it myself. It’s no wonder that someone suffering from depression would try to hide it. Or is it surprising that self-mutilation is on the rise.
In the case of mental illness, those who suffer from it, are doubly fucked. On the one hand, they cannot be open and honest about their struggles. On the other, those with mental illness, once found out, are then subject to harassment, or bullying, and being the butt of whispered jokes in the break room at work.
It is frustrating .Actually infuriating. As someone who lives every day with bi-polar disorder, and as someone who actively practices my faith, it is doubly frustrating and infuriating. Loneliness is a constant companion. Sometimes it seems as if my larynx has been surgically removed; cord by cord.
So, here’s a little advice: next time you find out a family member, or a friend, has some form of mental illness, recognize their illness as valid. Offer compassion and support. Speak up when people misrepresent mental illness and those suffering from mental illness. Educate yourself. Educate others around you.
For those suffering from mental illness, you are not alone. Hi, I’m Faith, and I suffer from
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š nice honnie.
Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2012 08:30:31 +0000 To: numascar@hotmail.com
You are GREAT. And whoever that pastor was might need to be stripped of his title…that’s so incredible and disturbing. What a shame to have missed out on truly ministering God’s love to someone. >(