Mental Health Crisis: Want to Help?

by Randy Kiel | March 20, 2023

Mental Health Crisis: Want to help?

I hope your first answer to the question in this title is “Yes” because actually something is broken. While no one can fix all the problems of a broken system, we can fix some of them, especially the ones that are broken within each one of us.

Working to improve our own perception of mental health is a long-term challenge; but it is one we can help fix.

This may seem like a quick and easy fix, but it is not; it is actually quite difficult. It requires a change of mindset. To create a change within any person’s thinking takes a serious and determined effort. If we listen closely, we might hear words of wisdom swirling around our minds.

But if we listen even more closely, we may hear some thoughts that may be defeating and pessimistic, promoting a sense of hopelessness or judgmentalism. Sometimes these internal thoughts are easily recognizable and at other times they are hidden in disguise. If we are not careful, some of these thoughts might eventually turn into conversations with negative outcomes.

Let’s call these conversations “broken mental health narratives.”

These types of conversations can further decline the mental health of both parties of the conversation, the speaker and the listener. Many of these narratives have moved from generation to generation. We can fix these; and yes, I use the word “fix” because, when something is broken, it needs to be fixed. The first fix needs to be within ourselves. Listen to several broken mental health narratives:

The Medication Conversation:

Person A to person B, “Medication for depression or anxiety might be helpful, but only as a last resort. Have you tried trusting God for your healing?” Person B hears: “Medication is for the weak. I must not be as strong as Person A. I am a failure again. If I was stronger in my faith, I wouldn’t have this struggle.” Fixed thinking: “Medication is valid. It is wholly good and right. It is not a sign of lack of faith or a less than virtuous choice.” Medication should be actively supported by the Christian community as personal choice and not minimized or misjudged.

The Healed Conversation:

Person A to Person B, “ Have you prayed to be healed of this particular struggle?” Person B hears: “My disobedience must be keeping me ill. Now I have a spiritual problem too.” Fixed thinking says: “ Of course I pray for healing, but my mental health struggle is neither about disobedience nor a lack of faith. It is about courage and responsibility.” Mental health, along with all its struggles, is something that is natural to every person. It is fundamentally NOT a spiritual matter.

The Worry Conversation:

Person A to person B, “Jesus doesn’t want you to worry. Here are some Bible verses that say to stop worrying.” Person B hears: “Either I am really stupid, or I must be in sin. My worrying is sin that I need to confess. If I confess my worry, then, my worry will go away” Fixed thinking: “This whole conversation is a set-up for another mental health crash! Worrying is not a sin, it is the result of a temporary helpless situation that is full of care and concern.” Don’t worry, be happy was a cute song, but poor advise.

The Chance To Be Holy Conversation:

Person A to Person B, “Remember, many saints had mental health problems too. We all have our crosses to bear.” Person B hears: “ My life is not supposed get any better. Some saints died with this problem so there is no need to keep trying to feel any better than I do.” Fixed thinking: “While I might ask for prayers and comfort from a particular saint, my suffering is not a requirement for canonization. My mental health struggles are not my cross to bear. My cross to bear is the whole of my life. My struggles are only one part of me.”

So, wanna help? Let’s work on our mental health perceptions and conversations. Perhaps we have been on both sides of these types of broken conversations. So, we pray to the Lord to continue to increase our awareness of our broken thinking, to slow our impetuous responses, and to see more fully the person in front of us with dignity and holiness.

“O Lord, may our words to others and to ourselves reflect your compassion, truth, and love.” Thank you, readers, for saying “Yes” to helping fix this part of the mental health crisis.

Deacon Randy Kiel serves Our Lady of the Americas Parish in Des Moines. Connect with him at randy@kardiacounseling.com.