Mental Health - starting to take a look

Following on from my Good Friday experience I have started taking stock of the people and situations around me and have realised that there are so many issues and attitudes which collide. Some show our society off to a bad light and others damage and mar the image of Christ in the Church and the Church in the world.

What has to be said is that the Church is made up of very human, humans, and this sometimes shows. But (always a but somewhere!) the Church is also made up of some truly Christlike people too and it would be wrong to tar the Church because of a few poor experiences (which after all might be their learning experience, albeit a costly one for some at times) and some ignorant (they can hopefully be taught) and costly (in terms of broken and wounded people) errors.

A few of the sadnesses I have discovered thus far:

+ A fair number of people have the attitude that once someone has had a mental health issue they are 'mental' for the rest of their life. This is obviously not always the case.

+ A fair number of people assume that mental illness has nothing to do with physical causes and ascribe the effects (which we call mental illness) to a number of odd causes ranging from abuse to demons! This often gets the 'cheer up' response to depressives and the enforced exorcisms that I have received mail about!

+ Those with mental health issues fluctuate and can be testing at times. I know this from experience and have to struggle to be open and accepting of this, especially at 3:00am! But if we stop and take a look in the mirror, so too can we be testing and a trial to others at times, so what's the difference they have a condition with a name, that's all (what's our excuse?).

+ I am amazed to find that some people don't like to be around those with mental health issue in case the 'catch it' and because people thus afflicted can be embarrassing.

I have started a thread on the Cavedwellers blog about this issue, anyone who wishes to join in is more than welcome (you'll need to join). I thought this was a better option than directing the blog to this issue, which I think is going to take some unravelling.

Thank you for the mail and comments I have received, I hope that from it I might be able to develop a positive way forward at personal, church and wider levels.

Pax