Commentary by Pastor Mike Colaw
Most people are lost when it comes to the growing mental health problem.
I believe there are three reasons. One I will share here.
All the way through school, I heard one common theme when it came to counseling: refer. As ministerial students, we were essentially taught that we are unqualified to help people with mental health problems because we lack doctorates in psychology or psychiatry and so we should just pass them along to the professionals.
So that’s exactly what an army of “well trained” young leaders, including myself, have done. In a culture of “elite specialists,” most have abdicated themselves from helping people in need.
We don’t do anything with mental health because we were taught not to. After nearly 17 years in ministry, here is the problem: very few actually go get professional help when it’s recommended.
Either they can’t afford the “real” help or they are too embarrassed to embrace it, so they live with a growing addiction, depression or anxiety until it’s too late. Even the average person feels unqualified to help a friend or family member that’s struggling, so if nearly everyone is unqualified to help someone then functionally many are getting little to no help at all. A dangerous self-fulfilling prophecy is happening. As we turn away from those in need, our knowledge of how to help people and be comfortable around them decreases. We are actually becoming less qualified.
I have a theory. I know it may sound strange, but I think average people can help. I believe we need to adopt a new approach concerning mental health in communities.
- Engage, especially if you call yourself a Christian. Instead of survival of the fittest, we should take on a Jesus-centered approach where the fittest help the “least of these.” Christians are called to minister to those in need. There are so many scriptures that could be referenced. Let’s start with Matthew 25:35-37.
- Learn from experts but don’t leave them with all the work. If someone close to you is getting professional help, go with them and ask what you can do to assist.
- Become aware of community support groups and encourage people to attend them.
- Widen your perspective of what “normal” is. The reality is some of the most amazing people in history were autistic, OCD, or even bi-polar. I believe when you support “abnormal” people you can release something abnormally beautiful.
