Does Mental Illness Count? YES!

We are frequently asked if Invisible Illness Week includes mental illness. Yes!

It’s invisible, right? While we would like to expand our resources for those living with mental illness, we do have few. Please feel free to email us more or articles you may have.

> Mental Illness Awareness Week is Oct 4-10, 2009
> See statistics here

HOW DOES “THE CHURCH” ADDRESS MENTAL ILLNESS?

Since NICIAW is sponsored by Rest Ministries a Christian organization, we want to also take a look at how mental illness is addressed by churches. Living with a mental illness, whether it’s bi-polar, schizophrenia, depression or one of the many other mental illnesses, it is a frustrating, experience that can leave one feeling somewhere between annoyed with themselves and life, to being suicidal.

Imagine turning to the church for encouragement and understanding and being told that if you “just prayed harder,” it would go away.

As our population continues to age, the faith community has become more proactive in finding ways to meet the growing needs of those who suffer from chronic conditions cause by aging and the body’s degeneration.

However, there is still a large attempt to educate the church about those who live with invisible illnesses, such as lupus or fibromyalgia, as well as the millions who live with mental illness.

Unfortunately, our churches are ill-equipped to reach out to this community of people because they basically don’t know how. But churches do not need to know everything about mental illness in order to create comforting and accepting place.

In a speech entitled, “Stigma of Mental Illness: The Role of the Faith Community,” Gunnar Christiansen, M.D. presented at the 2003 NAMI Oregon Convention, he said, “Spiritual strength will diminish, however, unless it is constantly nurtured through giving and receiving loving care in our relationships with others. Thus it is of major importance that each of us attempt to develop a welcome and spiritually nourishing environment for those affected by mental illness in our own place of worship.”*

A variety of resources are available for those who live with mental illness and are looking for Christian support. We recommend the following:

Participate in National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week. Mental illness is an invisible illness and we are looking for more representatives to join us in spreading the word and educating others.

SECULAR RESOURCES

NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill)

National Mental Health Association is the country’s oldest and largest nonprofit organization addressing all aspects of mental health and mental illness

NARSAD The Mental Health Research Association by National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression,

The National Network of Adult and Adolescent children who have a Mentally Ill parent/s. Australian- but still great resources.

FAITH RESOURCES

National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI)”Faith Net” The “religious” department of this organization which seeks to bring awareness to religious communities about mental illness facts.

Pathways to Promise is an interfaith technical assistance and resource center which offers liturgical and educational materials, program models, and networking information to promote a caring ministry with people with mental illness and their families. These resources are used by people at all levels of faith group structures from local congregations to regional and national staff.

Mental Health Ministry Resources Books, tapes, resources, wonderful!

Mental Illness and Faith Communities Helping faith communities become caring congregations – excellent. Be sure to read the articles/brochures/inserts available.

*Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration – National Mental Health Information Center – Article: Building Bridges: Mental Health Consumers and Members of Faith-Based and Community Organizations in Dialogue

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When Your Spouse Doesn’t Believe You are Ill

The doctor couldn’t find anything wrong with her, despite her complaints about pain and extreme fatigue. He left the room and her husband came back a few minutes later.

Hi, Honey,” she replied to her spouse, as she carefully reached out for his hand. But he didn’t reach out to take her outstretched hand; he just let it sit there empty on the scratchy hospital blanket. He looked at her with tired eyes, full of frustration.

“The doctor said that there is nothing wrong,” he said. “I think maybe you’ve just been making all of this up the last year.”

She was heartbroken and pulled her hand back. He was her lifeline, the one thing that was getting her through all of this. He was the only person who she trusted would always believe her, understand and offer love and sympathy. And now he thought she’d been deceptive, lying about her pain.

Unfortunately, this scenario is a true story… and all too familiar for many couples. Illness can have a devastating effect on relationships, especially when it is invisible, difficult to diagnose, and hard to even understand. So what’s the answer if your spouse doubts that you have an illness? While there are no easy answers or tips that will guarantee results, here are a few ideas to make the journey easier.

1. Pray. Rather than praying as a last resort, start praying first. Ask God to give your spouse wisdom and discernment, especially regarding your illness. Pray that God will send people into your spouse’s life that can be a godly influence, such as other spouses of people with illness. Pray for a diagnosis so that you can have the benefit of the medical world on your side.
2. Allow your spouse some time to see that the illness is real. Don’t expect him/her to be convinced by what you say. Let him/her see how you are over a period of time.
3. Surround yourself with supportive people who do understand that you have an illness and it’s implications. Join a support group or a womens bible study. Ask for prayer for your marriage. Let others encourage you and stand by you when you need the emotional support. See a pastor if you need to talk to someone about your marriage and the effect his or her doubts are having on the relationship.
4. Refrain from trying to do more than you should physically. Every time you do too much you are sending signals that you are able to do more, even though only you will know how much you will pay for it later in pain.
5. Do the research on your illness or symptoms and continue to fight for a diagnosis. If you already know what your illness is, get as much information on it as possible and keep well-informed.
6. Invite your spouse to accompany you to a support group meeting, a workshop or conference on your illness. Explain to him that you just want to find out more information about this illness, and that he might find it interesting.

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Reprinted from …And He Will Give You Rest, Volume II, Issue 9. © *Now called HopeKeepers

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