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Church Pastors to Counselees: You’re Not Mentally Ill at All!
Orginally published on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 at 8:28 AM
by Todd Rhoades
With research consistently showing that clergy - not psychologists or other mental health experts - are the most common source of help sought in times of psychological distress, a new Baylor University study has found clergy often times deny or dismiss the existence of the mental illness. It is believed to be the first study that looks at the experience those with mental illness have when approaching their local church for assistance with their mental illness.
In a recent Baylor study of 293 Christians who approached their local church for assistance in response to a personal or family member's diagnosed mental illness, Baylor researchers found that more than 32 percent of these church members were told by their church pastor that they or their loved one did not really have a mental illness. The study found these church members were told the cause of their problem was solely spiritual in nature, such as a personal sin, lack of faith or demonic involvement. Baylor researchers also found that women were more likely than men to have their mental disorders dismissed by the church.
In a subsequent survey, Baylor researchers found the dismissal or denial of the existence of mental illness happened more in conservative churches, rather than more liberal ones...
All of the participants in both studies were previously diagnosed by a licensed mental health provider as having a serious mental illness, like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, prior to approaching their local church for assistance.
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Posted by
Wednesday, October 15, 2008 at 9:35 AM
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Posted by Bruce
Wednesday, October 15, 2008 at 4:15 PM
Post Your Comments:There are a number of legitimate, specified mental illnesses whose diagnosis can be glanced over, like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and some types of deep depression. However, there are also a large number of sins that are dismissed as being under the veil of, “psychological disorders,” nowadays, both inside and outside the church:
A man can’t stop having adulterous affairs? He has a sexual psychological disorder.
Someone can’t stop stealing? They have an impulsiveness disorder.
A woman can’t stop lying? She is diagnosed in the DSM-IV as a, “pathological liar,” and given meds.
I can understand, in a way, why the clergy misdiagnoses things, especially in a modern victim-aggressor mindset. There should be a balance of understanding psychological problems and sin problems.
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CS
Well....
When we have a Church Culture that says sin is the problem and Christ is the solution what do we expect? We over-simplify things. How often people are told to just get right with God, get back in Church, read the Bible and your problems will go away.
Too often we are nothing more than snake-oil salesmen. Con-artists.
Humans are complex creatures.Our minds are complex. Many pastors are ill-equipped to deal with this complexity. They just whip out the ol bible answer book and the problems are solved. It would be great if it worked that way.
Mental problems are no different than physical problems. Yet we pray for the person with cancer but we gossip about the sister who is weak in mind or who has OCD, or hears voices and it is not God talking.
I have battled depression my entire life. I rarely share this because it ends up with me being judged by some self-righteous pharisee or I get to hear another Answers from the Bible monologue about having VICTORY.
One former friend when I told him I was depressed couldn’t believe I wasn’t “trusting” God and that Christians who are right with God don’t get depressed. No need for friends like this.
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