When God isn't enough
Seeking professional help for your mental health doesn’t mean you have to abandon your faith
exclusive | 3 min read
There is a certain pressure to be ‘good’ and ‘happy’ all the time, especially in and around religious communities. As someone who grew up in the Christian faith, I often heard that admitting to any form of mental health issue was perceived as a sign of weakness in my belief in God.
Wooden cross against twilight sky. Photo: Aaron Burden/Unsplash
When people in my church community told me that I wasn’t ‘praying hard enough’ or I wasn’t a ‘good Christian’ because of my mental health issues, it created a sense of shame and as a result caused my problems to worsen.
Even now, as I continue to manage my depression, anxiety, and compulsive disorders and write more about my experiences in this area, loved ones tell me that ‘the Devil’ is using me for ‘identifying too much’ with my mental health.
And, although I speak in a Christian context, I have heard from people of various religious backgrounds who also use shame-based practices, whether intentional or not, when loved ones opened up to them about their struggle with mental health.
The question I often bring up to my family and community, or anyone with any misconceptions around mental health is this: what is wrong with doing both - going to therapy and maintaining strength in my faith? After all, it is part of my religious and spiritual practice to work on being my best self.
Maya now. Photo: Maya Williams/Lacuna Voices
One benefit of going to therapy is that none of my therapists, regardless of their religious or non-religious identity, have ever suggested to me that I should stop going to church, stop praying, or stop engaging with the Christian community.
In fact, as we progress through breathing exercises, on-going dialogue and ‘growth work’ in redirecting my thoughts to advance my recovery, they check in with me on how I stay present in my faith as a way in which I can stay present in myself.
I use the following three mantras to ensure I am successfully combining my mental recovery with an ongoing commitment to the church.
Am I still praying regularly as a form of meditation?
Am I reading Scripture that broadens my outlook and sense of gratitude?
Do I remind myself often that I am enough simply as a creation of God?
The power of prayer is phenomenal but praying in isolation doesn’t cut it. As the Book of James in the Bible says: ‘faith without work is not enough.’
I used to use prayer as a distraction from my suicidal thoughts in my teens. I wasn’t willing to acknowledge their existence because I thought it was a sin, and not a chronic condition.
Maya as a teen. Photo: Maya Williams/Lacuna Voices
But there is a distinction between the two. The more we frame our mental disabilities as a sin, the more people may push themselves deeper into illness for the sake of ‘saving face’ or being seen as ‘good.’
The advantages of the website Psychology Today in the U.S. is how you can search for a therapist based on types of therapies, location, insurance, competencies, gender identity, sexual orientation, racial identity, and religious or non-religious identity. I often share this as a resource for people who are seeking mental health help for the first time.
It can be scary to acknowledge that the issues are there and to reach out for what you need. However, ultimately, it is completely worth it and, best of all, you don’t have to erase what you believe in to get there.
*Find a chartered psychologist registered with the British Psychological Society, or use a therapist matching service.
*UK readers can also talk to the Samaritans for free 24/7 by dialling 116 123 or visiting their website.
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