One “throwback” the church needs to throw away …

It used to be common on social media sites to post favorite, fun, or funny old photos on Thursdays as part of “#throwbackThursday.” It was a simple means of sharing fond memories of days past with others. For example, the photo to the right is me as a kid in my Cub Scout uniform … that’s definitely a “throwback”!

When it comes to mental health, the church has been inching toward a “throwback” that doesn’t bring fond memories, isn’t fun, and certainly isn’t funny —it’s rather shameful. For some years, the church was making progress in better understanding mental health and mental illness, and being more gracious and helpful to those suffering mental health issues or mental illness.

But the church is showing signs of regressing.

That’s a “throwback” the church needs to throw away.

It’s been my observation over the past few years, during the midst of America’s mental health crisis exploding into a greater mental health disaster, that some Christians and churches have regressed back to days of ignorance regarding what mental health is, what mental illness is, and how to compassionately communicate with and support/minister to those who suffer from mental health issues or mental illness.

One of the most profound examples of this in the last few years was a person serving in vocational ministry their entire adult life who attempted suicide after church members discovered they were taking medication for anxiety and depression and, as a result, shamed them for doing so, telling them they needed to pray and read their Bible more — and stop taking medication.

The medication helped them cope with their anxiety and depression and, when they stopped taking the medication because of the mocking church members, they became so irrational that this person attempted suicide.

A different person shared how a church was uncomfortable over how to interact with her seriously mentally ill son, and finally told her, regarding any support from church members, that “everyone is busy with their own lives.”

I’ve heard many new stories of mocking, shaming, ignorance, and an increasing lack of compassion, empathy, or any attempt to understand the truth about what others are experiencing regarding their mental health.

This throwback to ignorance doesn’t change the fact that every human being has “mental health,” and mental illness is real — and it isn’t a sin.

May is national Mental Health Awareness Month, and during this time each year Scott Free Clinic provides some kind of information and education to the public to help people not only improve their awareness of mental health, but to better understand it. A key part of our outreach this year was to publish a comprehensive Newsletter that was like a big “toolbox” with five smaller “toolboxes” containing mental health “toolboxes” stuffed full of Information, Insights, How-To’s, Getting Help, and SFC’s Self-Help Toolbox. We would like to provide YOU with that abundance of information via that Newsletter by giving you access to the Newsletter simply by clicking here.

As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, let us encourage you to raise your personal awareness about mental health and mental illness; take steps forward in your understanding, and please don’t contribute to any further regressive throwbacks.

Scotty