Does anyone have a mental illness?

[nebula]

I do and struggle with it. The people at my old church didn't understand and were frustrated with me. I was a leader at one point but my illness got in the way of my attendance. I have attempted suicide. I am depressed. I have and continue to seek earthly medicine but am also trying to get my spiritual life straightened out.

Can anyone relate.

I can relate to the struggle with depression.

I hope you have found a new church by now?

It's a problem among Christians, believing that being a Christian means you won't have any mental problems. That's a lie. We can have mental problems the same way our bodies can be ill and injured.

I never took medicine, though, because I was afraid of the side-affects.

The greatest breakthrough for me, so far, was when I was able to thank the Lord - and mean it - for the pain in my life. It was hard to do that, but the Holy Spirit revealed to me how good had come from my having walked through such pain (made me a better person, drew me closer to Him). Only then could I thank Him for that. It was still hard to speak it, though. But when I did, I literally felt an emotional break taking place, like heavy chains being broken off.

I still have more areas that need to be dealt with, but that I believe was the strongman.

I ask the Lord bring healing to your heart as well.

[Anne]

I do and struggle with it. The people at my old church didn't understand and were frustrated with me. I was a leader at one point but my illness got in the way of my attendance. I have attempted suicide. I am depressed. I have and continue to seek earthly medicine but am also trying to get my spiritual life straightened out.

Can anyone relate.

What was your illness?

[TexasKitty]

What was your illness?

Bipolar Disorder and PTSD

[TexasKitty]

I do and struggle with it. The people at my old church didn't understand and were frustrated with me. I was a leader at one point but my illness got in the way of my attendance. I have attempted suicide. I am depressed. I have and continue to seek earthly medicine but am also trying to get my spiritual life straightened out.

Can anyone relate.

I can relate to the struggle with depression.

I hope you have found a new church by now?

It's a problem among Christians, believing that being a Christian means you won't have any mental problems. That's a lie. We can have mental problems the same way our bodies can be ill and injured.

I never took medicine, though, because I was afraid of the side-affects.

The greatest breakthrough for me, so far, was when I was able to thank the Lord - and mean it - for the pain in my life. It was hard to do that, but the Holy Spirit revealed to me how good had come from my having walked through such pain (made me a better person, drew me closer to Him). Only then could I thank Him for that. It was still hard to speak it, though. But when I did, I literally felt an emotional break taking place, like heavy chains being broken off.

I still have more areas that need to be dealt with, but that I believe was the strongman.

I ask the Lord bring healing to your heart as well.

I have visited several churches. Its take me years to have the courage to do this. I think I have found the right one although, my anxiety makes it hard to attend. But I plan to keep going back. Its been a year this time since I've tried to go to church. I first attended on Easter and cried through the worship. It was a good release. Like coming home.

[~Shalhevet~]

I have had just about every diagnoses in the book...from major depression (w/ suicidal fantasies) to bipolar disorder to anorexia nervosa. I was cured of them all by God.

[Rick-Parker]

I can relate. Welcome to Worthy.

[other one]

I do and struggle with it. The people at my old church didn't understand and were frustrated with me. I was a leader at one point but my illness got in the way of my attendance. I have attempted suicide. I am depressed. I have and continue to seek earthly medicine but am also trying to get my spiritual life straightened out.

Can anyone relate.

http://www.ellisskolfield.com/pdf/Shining.pdf

Read through this book and see if by any chance it might relate to your problem. The book is copywrited, but is also available for free download on line.

[miracle52]

What type of mental illness? Is there something else that you think will work instead of meds. The meds dont work for everybody? Why do you have a mental illness?

[winsomebulldog]

I can certainly relate, kitty. I have lived with depression my entire adult life. It has nearly killed me on more than one occasion. By the time I finally gave in and told a doctor I needed help, I'd already learned how to live with it and how to see the triggers and avoid them. Not that such a thing can be done completely. Life is hard. For someone with depression, avoiding the reality of that is impossible. So, I take meds now and have been in therapy and it has helped considerably. I still have to struggle not to give in to the darkness, but I'm going forward with God's grace and help.

I can also relate to your church's response to your illness. I have a dear friend who I love and respect a lot, but I'll have to admit that she has some odd notions about mental illness. She once confessed to me that she used to believe that autistic children were just refusing to engage, as if they had any control over their condition. She's learned better now, but she still tends to lean toward a belief that people blame everything on mental illness when it's really just a choice they make. I have chosen not to argue with her about it, though admittedly she has never tried to tell me I was one of those people. I have made no secret of the fact that I have depression and that I take meds for it and have seen a therapist. I know that some of my church friends don't really agree with it, but they would never say so to my face. Still, I wish they could be a little more sympathetic. Having a mental illness is not a sign of weakness or selfishness, it's a sickness, just like cancer or diabetes.

Funny thing is, like other illnesses, God occasionally chooses to utterly heal a person of it. That's my pastor's wife's testimony. She was rushed to the hospital many years ago after trying to kill herself with an overdose of something. (I can't remember what it was.) She was that depressed, that miserable. And God simply took it away from her. I know God heals. I know He can heal anything, be it depression, cancer, addiction, whatever plagues us. But I also know that sometimes He chooses not to heal us. Sometimes we must live with whatever problem we have. Sometimes people die from their illnesses. And sometimes He wants us to overcome whatever is hindering us. It's just all part of His plan for our lives.

God is good to us beyond measure. Through all the grief I've known in my life, He provided me with one constant, besides Himself. He gave me a husband I adore and who adores me in return. He will do the same for you. Maybe not a husband, but He will give you what YOU need. He will give you comfort when you need it, peace when the anxiety is so overwhelming that it feels as if you might be crushed beneath the weight of it. He has done that for me. He has filled me with His peace at the exact moment that I feared I would fly apart.

I pray that you experience this in your life, kitty. I pray that God will heal you completely, if that is His will, and that He will fill you to overflowing with His grace if you must continue forward with this illness. Bless you, dear. And know that however you may sometimes feel, you are never, ever alone.

[yunna86]

I do and struggle with it. The people at my old church didn't understand and were frustrated with me. I was a leader at one point but my illness got in the way of my attendance. I have attempted suicide. I am depressed. I have and continue to seek earthly medicine but am also trying to get my spiritual life straightened out.

Can anyone relate.

Hellow...

Yes I can relate...I was psychotic.

I'd either kill you or kill myself.There's nowhere out. Kill or be killed.

I was very suicidal also.Very sad.very depressed.But you wouldn't know it if you saw me.I was obsessed with murder and pain.Self mutilation...bashed my head on the wall...threw knives to my own mother...I don't think people realize I'm not really going to think twice before i actually sliced her throat.They might think it was just anger but it's more like rage.I spoke to myself.Suddenly i had another girl living in me called Mikha.And nobody wants to meet her.My voice changes my clothes change even my small mannerism changes.I can see it but I can't stop it.I Cursed God.I hated him.Because ever since I was born I was always aware of his never ending presence.I felt like he was disrespecting my space and privacy just breathing down on me all the time.I found out years later that his name is Jesus.Don't matter I still hated him.

But he saved me.I don't know why.He revealed to me the truth my friend.

Your dealing with Satan.Listen I've only been a Christian and y'all might know more than me.But when it comes to mental diseases your dealing with demons.You know that saying fight your demons.It's not figure speech.It's literally telling you to FIGHT your demons.Real life entities.Waiting to make you think it's all your problem..sure the way you feel is entirely you but the moment you are enslaved into something you can't stop it' not you anymore.When i finally realized this after i accepted Jesus..took me awhile but i found out what was causing it i rebuked Satan and his demons.And I was free.I tell you 100% free.You know that strength you never had when God's with you.It's not going to wait for you.YOu have to claim it back.You are saved now!Satan can't take it from you.Don't let him fool you into thinking it's you or problems or circumstances.Not everything is Satan's fault.If you've rebuked the devil a million times and nothings happened then it's a trial.But if you haven't tried too.Then your falling into his trap.

My experience with mental illness is it's Satan.I've heard of somebody suffering from mental illness after the devil was rebuked he became well again.I'm just asking you to think about it then give it a try.This is from my personal experience.

Don't be sad or worried.Life is a trial but God's already gave you the answer.Okay give it a try.Not everything is Satan's fault but i'm telling you he definitely has a big role in enslaving Christians.If he can't stop you from believing in Jesus he'll at least make your life as miserable as possible.Don't accept that!Claim freedom.Jesus didn't die so that you can be slaves of anything BUT RIGHTEOUSNESS.