Monday’s tragedy in Washington D.C. showed again the tragedy and sorrow of mental illness.
Anyone who deals with any of the various forms of mental illness understands the hurt and sorrow associated with it. If you have family members affected, you understand the pain more than anyone else.
If this were terrorism wouldn’t we face this head on and do something to overcome the problem? Why won’t we seek to solve this particular problem? People are hurting. Our society can help.
While the society at large must take charge for large scale solutions, there are things you and I can do to help one another.
What can I do to help my own mental outlook and emotional well being as well as the people around me?
We have to understand the importance of the decisions we make today.
First, find a worshiping community and get closely involved in it. We need one another and we particularly need people who will love us and help us with our needs.
The church gets a bad rap and some of it is justified. But I have never seen a church turn away people with emotional problems. Churches care. Find a church and work to make yourself part of the solution.
Second, connect with people on a regular basis. The last three mass shootings in our country involved isolated people. We all need people around us. Other people help us handle emotions and see reality.
Families are essential to the fabric of the country. Our recent attempt to minimize the importance of marriage and families is detrimental to our future. There is a reason why God gave us two parents and accountable families.
Third, look for people to help. I’m not naive. We can’t deal with the most serious illnesses, but we can care for hurting, isolated people who need a friend. We can make sure our churches reach out to help.
In the meantime, let us pray for the hurting people of DC and let us pray for the family of Aaron Alexis.
12 Responses
Amen! Thank you for pointing this out. Hurting people hurt people. And hurting families hurt family members- so it does start at home, but I love being a part of a church that’s willing and ready to help the hurting and those in need- financially, emotionally and spiritually.
Thank you. We certainly can help each other. I love being part of a loving church community.
Thanks Waylon. As a therapist of 30 years I can say a hearty “Amen” to your advice. I have worked in three psychiatric hospitals and in an outpatient practice, and I can say conclusively that, no matter how severe the psychiatric disorder, including paranoid schizophrenia, which the D.C. shooter apparently suffered from, faith in Jesus Christ and involvement in a faith community makes things/ life better. I have worked with a number of clients/patients who were hearing voices–some of them with very evil content. If they knew the teachings of Jesus, and believed in Him as the Messiah, they knew which voices to ignore, and which to obey. Add Jesus to ANY equation, and you’ve got a distinctly better outcome. As in the mentally sound community, there are those with mental illness who can and will hear His voice. We must not let their mental illness keep us from speaking it to them, in love. Simple respect and kindness are amazingly healing.
Thank you Mark.
If you would like to read Dr. Graham’s insightful blogs, you can read those at http://marlyn249.blogspot.com/
Gratefully,
Kathy
May God bless individuals and families who are suffering.
“You can say that again!” Such are the words and thoughts which come to mind when I read your shared observations. It is such a difficult issue in a society that is increasingly becoming more upside down in its priorities and expectations.
Such programs as “Celebrate Recovery” are signs to me of feet being put to prayers. Anyone in ministry knows the frustration and sadness that comes with helping an individual that has hurts, hangups, and in many cases organic issues that are beyond their control. I have been Blessed with the opportunities of making a Kingdom difference in lives through Church ministries, I H S Construction and missions (now abandoned by SBC) in New Orleans. Many of the teachings of my Father have proved true regarding human nature. They have helped me grasp the True Words of Christ who defined His Family: “…whosoever shall do the Will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister and mother. Matthew 12:50
May our labor be In His Rest, Hebrews 6:18.
Blessings
Being “upside down” certainly describes our society. The church is the hope of the world.
Amen! Oh, that there was a way to get these words of truth out there even more!
I agree, the church is very much unappreciated in the world generally. The church is a real blessing for families and communities.
This is great…maybe if u know Christian counselor s etc list agencies or ppl to contact…just a thought bc I know ppl who struggle with this illness ..I love reading ur blogs!
Thank you. This is a very difficult struggle. Unfortunately, society is not well equipped to help and to deal with this. Most churches keep a list of counselors and agencies where you can get help.