Combating Emotional Illness

In these days of increasing pressure and uncertainty from without and insecurity from within, the days when Satan goes about with more and more force, seeking whom he may devour, it is not surprising to find an increasing incidence of nervous breakdowns.

There are all degrees of nervous and mental illness from the mild emotional states to insan­ity itself. Many of these mild emotional ill­nesses come to the physician or psychiatrist and are only seen by a minister casually when visiting his flock or when he is called in by an afflicted person or his family. The symptoms complained of are nervousness, jittery feelings, headaches, difficulty in concentration, lack of initiative, bodily pains, and insomnia. Such in­dividuals are often anxious, depressed, and dis­couraged. They are usually working, but not very efficiently.

Many of these people are greatly benefited by talking with a minister and by engaging in prayer. This is a great and important work. One needs patience in dealing with such prob­lem cases, because they often waver and need support for some time before they can stand on their own feet, as it were, and carry along with­out help. We are admonished to help one an­other to bear the burdens and to lift up each other's hands during trials. Surely these folk need this help from their brethren.

There are usually many problems confront­ing them, concerning financial, family, or spir­itual matters, which are the basis for their symptoms, and the confidence placed in the min­ister relative to their worries is to be highly re­spected. Of course what is confided in the min­isted or doctor must never be revealed to his friends or to anyone else, unless the permission of the afflicted one is first secured.

There are those who have symptoms as the result of feelings of guilt over wrongdoing, and these are greatly benefited by a talking with their minister and by prayer. But there are also those who have guilty feelings over what they think are gross wrongs, and which are associated with depressed feelings and a desire to end their life. This is a serious mental dis­order, and may even be made worse when the minister prays with them or reads the Bible to them. This reaction occurs, not because the Bible condemns those who have sinned, but because these depressed people cannot grasp the forgiving nature of God. They feel that they are sinners, that nothing can be done for them, that they have committed the worst sins and are not worthy to associate with others. They con­tinually depreciate themselves. They should be treated as mentally ill individuals and referred to a psychiatrist. They have so separated them­selves from God during this illness that any at­tempt to pray only seems mockery, and they feel that God has forsaken them.

Electric shock treatment, which I believe was discovered by man because God directed the way, has done a wonderful work in breaking up this vicious depressive mental condition, and the patient can grow spiritually as the result of having suffered as he did. When he improves he is able once more to feel God's closeness, to pray, and to be lifted up by spiritual thoughts and meditation. Extreme care is needed in care­fully nursing such a person back to health, as he is full of insecurity. Those who seem to be bound by the evil one, or who have a bad spirit, or are possessed by the devil are benefited so that they can again praise God for His good­ness to them. These individuals need very large doses of understanding and kindness when re­turning to their family and friends, and while in this unstable transitory condition they very much need the support of their minister.

There are others who are depressed, have lost confidence in themselves, have many bodily complaints, have great difficulty in sleeping, have loss of appetite, and who gradually lose weight. They are unable to read much, and so are robbed of blessings obtained from reading the Bible and spiritual books. All these symp­toms make them believe that they are losing their mind—and then what will become of their family? They do not respond well to ordinary ways of approach from the spiritual point of view. They become extremely dependent and vacillating, and do not seem to know their own mind—The minister may think that they are backsliding, that the devil has them in his power, and become impatient at their apparent lack of interest in religious matters or in their desire to help themselves.

These individuals are ill. They need psychia­tric care and the aid and understanding of a Christian minister. Their treatment may last many weeks or months. Throughout the treat­ment there may be cognizance that spiritual principles have been violated, but nevertheless a realization that God is merciful and will for­give them. The aim of treatment is to assist them to become stable individuals whose minds are turned away from themselves. Interest in and service for others, which is a fundamental spiritual law, brings greater satisfaction and growth. But all these methods must be used and advised as opportunity reveals itself.