Lies About Mental Health
I am very passionate about addressing the stigma surrounding mental illness in the Catholic Church.
So often, I have witnessed others negate their potential for sainthood because of mental illness. People choose to pray their worry away or refuse professional help when necessary. Sometimes, people burn themselves out by suppressing negative feelings. I think it can be tempting to use our faith to belittle our experiences with mental health.
In particular, we tend to feed ourselves with lies, feeling as though we have failed to lead faithful lives when we suffer from psychological disorders.
No one understands what I’m feeling.
In the United States, an estimated 1 in 4 adults suffers from a diagnosable mental illness—this includes several classes of differing disorders. Although it is impossible to generalize the effects of any given psychological disorder, we are never alone. Our circumstances are always unique, but others get it.
Even within Catholic communities, there are people with similar struggles. Often, it is about getting uncomfortable and being honest in order to overcome stigma in the Church. Connection and a sense of belonging can be facilitated through mere vulnerability.
If I just prayed more, I would worry less.
Prayer can certainly ease our struggles. However, persistent mental health concerns cannot necessarily be prayed away. We can know Jesus offers peace and feel restless at the same time. We can understand our Lord’s sovereignty while feeling anxious. Psychological disorders dictate thoughts and emotions—not faithfulness. Symptoms of mental illness do not point to a poor relationship with God.
If I were holier, I would not suffer from depression.
Again, symptoms of mental illness do not diminish faith. Faith isn’t about feelings. Feeling numb while knowing Christians should be joyful does not make our faith inadequate. The lack of mental illness does not directly cause faithfulness; the presence of mental illness does not directly deprecate holiness.
No one can help me.
If you are praying for healing and it’s not happening, don’t be discouraged. God heals, but He is capable of healing through professional help and treatment. Therapy, medication, and other forms of treatment often allow us to function better and live out our vocations more fully.
Photo by Austin Park on Unsplash