Hey everyone, my name is Austin, and welcome
back to another episode of the Unfiltered Faith
Podcast. If this is your first time tuning in,
I'm so glad you're here, and if you've been here
before, welcome back! Today we're going to be
talking about something that honestly hasn't
been talked about enough in many Christian circles,
mental health, and why it's become such a taboo
within the church. So if you like to take notes,
I encourage it. And while you're at it, have
your Bibles out, because we're going to be looking
through several passages of scripture. That'll
help us with our discussion today. So mental
health struggles have often been misunderstood
within the church. Many believers have been told
that if they just pray more or trust God, their
anxiety, depression, or trauma will disappear.
And I think the people who tell us these things
are very well intentioned, but there's a difference
between intention and impact. Imagine being told
by someone the reason you have anxiety and depression
is because you don't pray enough. Well, while
prayer is powerful and faith is essential. The
reality is that mental health is complex, just
like physical health. I'd even argue that mental
health is even more complicated. For centuries,
mental health conditions were misunderstood and
often feared. Before the advent of psychology
and neuroscience, people didn't have the tools
to explain why someone experienced depression,
anxiety, or psychosis. Instead, societies often
attributed mental illness to supernatural causes.
personal weakness or more. During ancient times,
mental health conditions were sometimes viewed
as possession by evil spirits resulting in inhumane
treatments like exorcisms, isolation, and even
physical punishments. Many people with mental
illnesses were confined to asylums, where they
were often treated cruelly rather than with compassion
and care. These historical misunderstandings
led to fear and misinformation, making people
hesitant to acknowledge or address mental health
struggles. Even as medical advancements provided
better explanations for mental health disorders,
stigma remained ingrained in societal beliefs.
Many families preferred to keep mental health
issues secret, fearing shame or ostracization.
This history of silence and fear has been passed
down through generations, reinforcing the taboo
surrounding mental health. Some NFL players after
they die have actually donated their brains for
science to be studied to figure out the cause
of certain brain injuries like CTE, to figure
out how it affects the brain. I have a stutter.
I've mentioned this in so many previous episodes,
but the cause of my stutter is going through
years and years of seizures. I used to have epilepsy
and I can't tell you what they were like because
for a lot of seizures, not all but most, you
black out. And people around me who witness these
seizures will tell me that it's the most insane
and scariest thing that they've ever seen. But
it's so interesting to see things like CAT scans,
MRI, or CT scans because they'll literally show
you various brain activities and patterns. Many
societies value strength, resilience, and self
-sufficiency. The idea of struggling mentally
has long been associated with weakness, failure,
or a lack of willpower. In cultures that prioritize
productivity and achievement, heading to mental
health struggles can feel like a setback or a
sign of incompetence. Certain cultural norms
reinforce the idea that people should just tough
it out rather than seek help. Hayes is like,
just be strong. get over it, or pull yourself
together, minimize the reality of mental health
struggles, making it difficult for people to
be open about their emotions. The fear of being
seen as weak or incapable discourages individuals
from seeking the support they need. For men in
particular, societal norms around masculinity
often discourage vulnerability. Many men grow
up hearing that they must be tough and not show
emotions, which can will lead to suppressed feelings,
untreated mental health conditions, and even
higher suicide rates. The stigma around mental
health creates an environment where individuals
fear being judged if they speak up. Many people
worry that hitting to mental health struggles
will result in negative labels, discrimination,
or rejection by family, friends, or employers.
In professional settings, mental health struggles
are often perceived as a liability. Employees
may fear that if they disclose their mental health
struggles, they will be seen as unreliable or
unfit for their job. This fear leads many individuals
to suffer in silence rather than seek the help
that they need. Within families, mental health
struggles are sometimes treated as something
that, to be hidden, parents may discourage their
children from talking about anxiety or depression,
fearing that it will reflect poorly on the family.
In some cultures, mental illness is associated
with bringing shame to the household, leading
to further isolation for those who are struggling.
Faith communities can play a powerful role in
supporting mental health, but historically, some
religious teachings have contributed to the stigma
instead. Many people have been told that mental
illness is a result of spiritual weakness, sin,
or demonic influence. This belief discourages
individuals from seeking medical or professional
help, as they may be led to believe that prayer
alone should be enough to cure their struggles.
While faith is an essential part of healing,
it should not be seen as a replacement for therapy,
medication, or professional support. Just as
we wouldn't tell someone with a broken bone to
simply pray without seeking medical care, we
shouldn't expect those with mental health struggles
to heal without proper support. Thankfully, many
churches are beginning to address mental health
compassionately, but there is still a long way
to go in breaking the stigma within religious
communities. That church should be a safe space.
For healing, not a place where people feel ashamed
for their struggles. Being open about mental
health means admitting that we don't have everything
together and that can be uncomfortable. Many
people avoid conversations about mental health
because they fear being judged or rejected. Others
struggle to process their own emotions making
it difficult to support others in their mental
health journeys. In many cultures, emotional
expression is discouraged. People were often
taught from a young age to suppress their feelings
rather than express them. When emotions are constantly
pushed aside, they can manifest in unhealthy
ways, leading to increased stress, anxiety, or
physical health issues. Creating a culture of
openness and vulnerability is essential to breaking
the taboo. People need to know that it's okay
not to be okay, and that seeking help is a sign
of strength, not weakness. The way mental health
is portrayed in the media has played a significant
role in shaping public perception. Movies, TV
shows, and news stories often depict mental illness
and extremes either as something to be feared
or as something to be pitied. These portrayals
reinforce fear and misunderstanding rather than
encouraging real conversations about mental wellness.
Additionally, social media has created unrealistic
standards of happiness and success. People often
compare their lives to the highlight reel of
others, leading to the feelings of inadequacy
and isolation. The pressure to appear perfect
can prevent people from admitting that they are
struggling. The stigma surrounding mental health
has real consequences. When people feel ashamed
to seek help, they are more likely to suffer
in silence. literally leading to worsening symptoms,
and in some cases, tragic outcomes such as suicide.
Untreated mental health conditions can also contribute
to substance abuse, relationship problems, and
physical health issues. Additionally, stigma
prevents open conversations about mental health
in schools, workplace, and communities. Without
awareness and education, individuals may not
recognize the signs of mental illness in themselves
or others, delaying access to the necessary support
that they need. While mental health has long
been a taboo topic, we have the power to change
the narrative. Here are some ways we can break
the stigma and create a culture of understanding
and support. Number one, normalize conversations
about mental health. The more we talk about mental
health, the less power stigma has. We need to
create spaces where people feel safe discussing
their struggles without fear of judgment. Number
two, educate ourselves and others. The learning
about mental health helps us respond with empathy
rather than fear. Churches, schools, and workplaces
should offer education on mental health to reduce
stigma. Number three, encourage seeking professional
help. Counseling, therapy, and medication should
be seen as tools for healing, not as signs of
failure. Seeking help should be encouraged, just
like seeking a doctor for physical ailments.
Number four, create safe spaces for vulnerability.
Churches, workplaces, and families should be
environments where people feel comfortable opening
up about their struggles. Leaders should lead
by example by sharing their own mental health
journeys. 5. Foster compassion and support. Instead
of judging those who are struggling, offer them
love, understanding, and encouragement. Small
acts of kindness like checking in on a friend
or listening without judgment can make a significant
difference. Number six, challenge harmful beliefs
and stigmas. We need to actively challenge the
idea that mental illness is a weakness or a lack
of faith. By shifting our perspective, we can
create a world where mental health is treated
with the same importance as physical health.
Mental health is a crucial part of our overall
well -being. It's time to break the silence and
the stigma and support one another on the journey
towards healing. If you're battling with XYZ
mental health struggles, that's a good thing.
Well, I mean, it's not a good thing, but it means
you haven't lost. Just hear me out for a moment.
A lot of those pastors you see on television
who talk about, if you become a Christian, then
you will be blessed and nothing bad will ever
happen to you, are lying to you. In fact, that
couldn't be further from the truth. When you
become a Christian, you will be persecuted. You
will be hated, just as Jesus was. The day you
say, Lord, I accept you into my life. is the
day a target gets put on your back for Satan
to attack you. For all of my friends out there
who are dealing with various mental health struggles,
I am here for you. I may not understand what
you're going through, but help me try to understand.
I know you're tired, but as someone who's had
a friend lose their battle to mental health struggles,
it's not much better for us either. I'm not a
pastor. I don't have any of those fancy Bible
degrees. But I have had my own struggles with
mental health, spiritual warfare, and I've done
research through reading books. I don't know
if you guys like to read, but I do. And a lot
of the ideas I come up with for the podcasts
are rooted in different books I've read or podcasts
I've listened to. And one of the books I've been
reading is called Winning the War in Your Mind
by Craig Groeschel. Here's some... key takeaways
from his book. 1. Your life moves in the direction
of your strongest thoughts. What you think shapes
who you will become. If you dwell on negative,
fearful, or lamenting beliefs, your actions will
follow suit. 2. Identify and replace negative
thought patterns. Recognize destructive thoughts
and replace them with truth. Challenge lies and
replace them with God's promises and positive
affirmations. 3. Rewire your brain through the
power of reframing. You can train your brain
to think differently by choosing to see situations
more constructively. Instead of reacting with
fear or frustration, look for opportunities and
lessons. 4. The power of the Bible is in renewing
your mind. Scripture plays a crucial role in
transforming thought patterns. Regular meditation
on God's word helps reshape mental habits and
build a faith -based mindset. Number five, create
new neural pathways through repetition. Your
brain forms habits based on repeated thoughts
and behaviors. By consistently replacing lies
with truth, you can create healthier thoughts,
patterns. Winning the war requires daily discipline.
Transformation doesn't happen overnight. It takes
consistent effort, prayer, meditation, and intentional
thinking to maintain a renewed mind. Gratitude
and worship shifts your focus. Instead of dwelling
on what's wrong, Practice gratitude and worship
to refocus your mind on God's goodness. Satan
is always going to try to attack you. The number
one way that he tries to attack us is through
our minds. If he can get our minds, he can get
everything. That's why the Bible tells us to
take every thought captive. Stop letting the
devil control your thoughts. If your mind is
constantly being attacked, it's because the devil
knows there's something special on the inside
of you. God has a big plan for your life, and
he doesn't want it to come to fruition. That
anxiety, that depression, or whatever those thoughts,
those intrusive thoughts may be, they have to
bow to the name of Jesus. The enemy looses all
power when you live a life submitted to God.
You may be feeling the way that you do because
you went through actual traumatic experiences
that altered your brain chemistry, and you're
literal neural pathways affecting the way you
see yourself in the world around you. And even
though you went through all of these things,
whether it was from your upbringing or things
that happened along the way, nobody taught you
how to actually cope with these things or navigated
these really intense emotions and truly heal.
So now you're walking around with all of this
You pent up tension and trauma, and nobody likes
to feel discomfort or pain. So naturally, you
want to feel relief from this. Still, the only
influences you've had were your environment,
society, and the world, which is made up of short
-term satisfaction and temporary relief. You
see people distract themselves with work, with
sex, with smoking, with drinking. It's in all
of the songs. It's in all the media. Unfortunately,
this is how a lot of people deal with their problems.
So you give in. And now what? You end up feeling
that relief that you were looking for. You finally
feel that sense of comfort and it's like, oh
yes, this is doing the trick. Only for it to
fade, leaving you feeling even emptier and leaving
you chasing it again and again. Well, now you're
in too deep and that is how addictions and all
of these other toxic habits starts. And it just
keeps spiraling out of control from there. Well,
let me tell you something. Multiple people throughout
the Bible struggled with their mental health.
The truth is, Christians are not exempt from
mental illness. In fact, we see figures in the
Bible like Elijah, Job, and even David expressing
deep emotional distress. David was a man after
God's own heart, yet he struggled with deep sorrow.
This tells us that being a Christian does not
mean we Won't experience emotional pain. So how
do we navigate mental health while holding on
to our faith? The book of Psalms and problems
are tools for daily living The Psalms are a collection
of 150 poems songs and prayers The Psalms are
filled with a wide range of very real human emotions
and experiences and they serve as a source of
inspiration and encouragement for worship and
reflection problems is filled with moral teachings
and guidance, and offers practical guidance on
how to live a godly and successful life, focusing
on wisdom, discipline, and understanding God's
perspective on life. The Bible says that in 1
Kings 19, that after Elijah had defeated almost
900 prophets of Baal and Asherah, Jezebel threatened
to kill Elijah, so he ran. It says in the text
that Elijah says, I have had enough, Lord. take
my life for I am no better than my ancestors."
Elijah battled depression. God didn't send an
angel to preach to him or tell him he needed
to pray more or condemn him for the way he felt.
He sent an angel to comfort him while he rested.
When I read that passage of scripture, I was
envisioning myself in that situation of an angel
approaching me with a bucket of fried chicken,
some Dr. Pepper, and telling me, you'll be okay,
just eat some fried chicken, drink some Dr. Pepper,
and go to bed. Sometimes that's all we need.
Our favorite comfort food, drink, and a nap.
Counselors, therapists, and even medication can
be gifts from God to help us heal, just like
we would seek a doctor for a broken bone. we
can seek mental health professionals for emotional
and psychological wounds. Mental illness is just
that, it's an illness, but in our heads. And
I don't mean it's like it's all in your head,
doesn't exist, and you're making it up, but it's
literally like a physical illness, but it's like
our minds get sick. People don't condemn others
for getting a cold, having strep, or some other
illness. We get taken care of by doctors, our
parents, or ourselves. and oftentimes people
will tell us to feel better. We need that same
kind of treatment when we're feeling mentally
unwell. Healing needs to start within the church.
We need to create church committees that are
safe spaces for those struggling. Instead of
saying, just have faith, we can say, I see you,
I'm here for you. Let's walk through this together.
Ask anyone. Positive affirmations can go a long
way. For so many people, the church is a place
of worship, community, and spiritual growth.
But for those struggling with mental health challenges,
it can be a place of deep loneliness if they
don't feel seen, heard, or supported. It's time
for the church to break the stigma and embrace
the reality that mental health struggles do not
mean a lack of faith. David cried out to God
in distress. Elijah felt so overwhelmed he wanted
to die. And even Jesus expressed deep sorrow
in the Garden of Gethsemane. If these spiritual
giants experienced emotional suffering, why should
we expect to be immune? So how can the church
become a refuge for those battling with mental
health challenges? It starts with leadership.
Pastors and church leaders must speak openly
about mental health from the pulpit. When leadership
acknowledges these struggles, it sends a powerful
message that no one is alone in their pain. The
church should also provide spaces for honest
conversations, support groups, counseling services,
or even small groups where people feel safe sharing
their experiences. Jesus himself was a model
of compassion. He met people in their suffering
and embraced them with love. The church should
reflect that same heart. Additionally, churches
can work to provide training for their leaders
and volunteers on mental health awareness. Many
pastors are not trained counselors, but they
can be equipped with the knowledge to offer guidance
and refer people to mental health professionals
when necessary. This is an opportunity for churches
to build partnerships with Christian counselors,
therapists, and mental health organizations.
The way we approach mental health in the church
matters. It can mean the difference between someone
feeling embraced or rejected, help or left in
despair. As believers, we are called to be the
hands and feet of Jesus. And that means offer
tangible support to those who are struggling.
If we truly want the church to be a healing place,
we must cultivate an environment where vulnerability
is not met with judgment, but with grace. But
how do we do that? Well, number one, we should
listen without judgment. When someone opens up
about their struggles, they don't need a quick
fix or a Bible verse thrown at them. They need
to feel heard and understood. Number two, educate
yourselves. Mental health is real. Learning about
depression, anxiety, and trauma helps us respond
with wisdom and empathy. Number three, encourage
professional help. Seeking counseling or therapy
is not a lack of faith. It's a step towards healing.
The church should partner with mental health
professionals to support those in need. Number
four, be the hands and feet of Jesus. Offer practical
help. Check in on those who are struggling. Pray
for them. Yes, but also walk along with them
in their journey. Number five, normalize mental
health discussions. The more we talk about it,
the less power stigma has. Let's start a small
group, host mental health workshops, and integrate
these conversations into our church culture.
Number six, provide resources. Churches can create
directories of Christian counselors, therapists,
and support groups for their congregations. And
number seven, foster accountability. The haters
should be held accountable for how they handle
mental health issues in their congregation. Churches
must be actively working towards being places
of healing rather than a place of harm. Healing
mental health starts within the church. It starts
when we choose to love like Jesus, to be a refuge
rather than a place of shame, and to offer real
support rather than silence. If you are struggling
today, know that you are not alone. Your pain
matters, and there is hope. If you're struggling
with your mental health, what are some steps
you can take to improve your mental health while
holding onto your faith? Well, number one, we
should seek professional help. Find a Christian
therapist or counselor who understands both faith
and mental health. Prayer twice, faith and scripture.
While prayer isn't a fix -all, it can provide
peace and reassurance. Surround yourself with
support. Join a small group, talk to a pastor,
or convide in a trusted friend. Take care of
your body. Exercise, eat well, and get enough
sleep. Our bodies and minds are deeply connected.
Give yourself grace, healing tapes, time. God
is patient and so should we with ourselves. How's
your self talk? What kinds of things do you say
to yourself or about yourself when no one is
watching? What kinds of things do you say to
yourself or about yourself when everyone is watching?
Do they line up with each other? It says in 1st
John 3 .20, if our hearts condemn us, God is
greater than our hearts and knows all things.
I will be the first to admit that I talk horribly
about myself and to myself sometimes. Paul talks
about, in first Corinthians 4, it doesn't matter
what any person thinks about me. It doesn't even
matter what I think about me. All that matters
is what God thinks about me. If there's two things
I want you to take away from today's episode,
it's this. Number one, your mental health matters
to God. You are not alone in your struggles.
Seeking help is okay. Faith in mental wellness
can go hand in hand. Number two, seeking professional
help is not a lack of faith, it's wisdom. Proverbs
11 and 14 says, where there is no guidance, a
people falls. But in an abundance of counselors,
there is safety. Before we wrap up today's episode,
I want to give you guys three challenges for
the week. Number one, every day for the next
week, write down one achievement, no matter how
small. Sometimes I don't even have the energy
to get out of bed. I still woke up, didn't I?
That counts. Every day for the next week, replace
one negative thought about yourself with a kind,
encouraging statement. That's number two. And
number three, every day for the next week, spend
at least 10 minutes outside, whether it's a short
walk, sitting in the sun, or even just opening
a window and breathing in fresh air. Your mood
isn't gonna shift overnight, but I hope by day
seven, These challenges are going to be substantially
easier than day one. Thank you for joining me
today on the Unfiltered Faith Podcast. If this
episode encouraged you, share it with a friend
who might need to hear it. Don't forget to like,
subscribe, and leave a review. Until next time,
keep seeking those fresh perspectives and keep
having those unfiltered conversations to better
understand the world around us.