Will you join me in removing the stigma of mental illness?
Transformation Church and Rick & Kay Warren are passionate about the body of Christ coming together and removing the stigma society has placed on mental illness. Six years ago when I had cancer I received an outpouring of unconditional love and support even from strangers while I was sick, but I dare to say if I was struggling from mental illness I would receive the same support.
Kay Warren delivered a powerful message at Transformation Church last Sunday. Watch here. “Research shows 1 in 5 children and 1 in 5 adults in America will be affected by mental illness in a given year. Although millions of people are impacted by mental illness, people often feel isolated, alone, and unsure of where to turn for help and hope.” Saddleback Church will be having a special event The Gathering on Mental Health & The Church on October 7–9, 2015. Click here to register.
Leave me a comment and let me know if you personally have struggled or know someone struggling with mental illness. Let’s talk about this, support one another and remove the stigma!
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Here I go crying again….. I knew God has put us together for a reason, actually lots of reasons that we don’t even know yet. Yes, I have struggled with depression and anxiety and was even hospitalized a few years ago. At first, I did not want to tell anyone because I was embarrassed that I could have depression/anxiety. Doctors tried to figure out why my symptoms appeared. No definite answer, just maybe a brain malfunction or something from my past… I have never really known the true answer why this has affected me. I finally started sharing with people that I was experiencing depression/anxiety episodes and prayers would definitely be appreciated. Even to this day, I take medication when needed. My husband can sometimes see my panic attacks coming before I realize I am having one.
I started sharing and asking for prayers from some close family and friends. I was amazed and am still amazed at how many people tell me, “Thank you. I have depression/anxiety, too and was afraid to tell anyone because I was ashamed and scared of what people would think of me.”
There is NO shame in having this illness and yes, it is a medical condition. Just like through my cancer diagnosis in 2005, my husband and I have been able to share with others going through this experience and have been able to pray and listen to the person who needed prayer and a listening ear.
Thank you, Linda, for bringing this topic to your blog. Your message and Kay Warren’s message will help many people.
My husband served in Afghanistan in 2004. Prior to that he already had some depression issues. Now he sufferers from depression and PTSD. He sought treatment from the VA. They helped him. But it took some self-medicating with drugs and alcohol to bring him to a low point in his life. Long story short, he was accused of a crime he did not commit and ended up in jail for 44 days. I had been praying for him to step up and be the husband and father that God created him to be. I was not praying for him to go to jail. But with his chemo port he landed in solitary and spent those 44 days in a Bible study. After his release he was able to get his chemo and he entered an intensive outpatient program with the VA. He still has depression and PTSD. But now he is facing it and relying on God instead of putting up those walls he created.
I truly believe there needs to be a change in the way others view each other. I too have had issues with depression and Kay Warren is so right. There are so many people that don’t want take it known they have problems because society has made it so hard to show your true self. If you do then you are known as a freak or mentally incompitent. One thing that stuck out was the question of why do people not ask others to help them? I believe a big part is pride and stature. Who are you in the world that makes you better because of money and things? Would it take away from your fame and fortune? I believe I myself would be a better person to show my true self and who God made me to be with all my flaws than “perfect and fake.” I would not want to live that life. Thank you. This is a great message!
Yes I absolutely will support removing the stigma placed on mental illness! I have suffered from anxiety since I was a teenager, & have received those “looks” when I shared about my struggles. Those “looks” should ALWAYS be ones of compassion, caring, and love…not judgement (the looks I received).
I can say something on this subject. It has affected my whole family as I’ve grown up. My dad was labeled bi-polar. We always had to walk like we were walking on egg shells, not knowing what kind of mood he would be in. It was either hit first or yell. It was terrifying. He would never had sought help from the medical profession over this. This caused a very dysfunctional family. My dad’s twin brother committed suicide. My mom worked before it was acceptable for mothers to work. She was one of the first to be on valium. My dad and mom never got along very well. They could never say a kind word to each other. All they did was nag and snap at each other. Dad worked days and mom worked nights which worked out good that they weren’t home at the same time. My older sister wanted to be a nurse since she was 5 years old. My dad was real mean to her that my mom tried to get her in a nursing school far away. She was lucky she got to leave the abuse. When she graduated from nursing school she had a complete breakdown. She was put in a mental hospital in a padded room and straight jacket. My dad’s idea of healing her was to take his hand and hit her across the face as hard as he could. It took her a few years to get better. After that when ever she went to get a job the breakdown was always looked down on the application. It was very hard for her to get a job. She married and moved from CA to a small town in GA. In was even hard to get a job there. She had to drive about 3 hours to work and 3 hours home from Atlanta, GA. That meant leaving her son in charge to watch the 2 girls. Over the years she’s had a few more breakdowns. Her girls told her about what their brother was doing but she didn’t believe them and didn’t do anything about it. The youngest girl followed in her mom’s steps mentally. My sister has suffered because none of her kids will talk to each other. She has 6 grandkids that have never been around each other and don’t know each other. The stigma is still there with her.
I also had a mother-in-law that had a breakdown when my husband was in college. She was married to a tough husband and had 4 kids. She had that stigma too. You can most often tell that someone has had a breakdown. A lot of times they say what they think and don’t have self-confidence. My sister would come out of a breakdown and couldn’t do two things at the same time, like boil water and fold clothes. Simple things were a struggle. I know I have emotional baggage but I have a very good supportive husband.
As a board certified clinical neuropsychologist, I’m all about removing the stigma of mental illness!! That’s part of the reason for my forthcoming book, “Hope Prevails,” to show that no one is immune, but with God, there is always hope. The Bible says, “My people parish for lack of knowledge.” Part of the reason stigma gets perpetuated is because of a lack of knowledge and lack of understanding! Count me in to fight against the stigma! Because with Him, #HopePrevails!