Where is God in mental health?!

[GerddwrEryri]

When I was in my early twenties and in university, I felt called by God to come into his presence and eventually got confirmed into the Anglican faith. I hadn't been brought up Christian so it came as a shock when I found myself in a church and really blessed by His presence.

Since leaving university I've had lots of mental health problems- partially related to teenage sexual abuse and partially related to relationship problems and being disowned by my parents. I've had lots of suicidal thoughts and throughout the whole time I've really felt that God has been nowhere to be found.

I got picked up by the police last night as DP phoned them after I left the house suicidal. Whilst I was out, I begged and begged God to please come to me and please help me but I got nothing back. It was another hour after I started praying that the police found me.

Where is God in mental health? Where is God when I'm self harming and suicidal?

Your DP cared enough that he phoned the police. The police tried to care for you by finding you. Perhaps this was your prayers being answered?

for you because you are in a tough place.

Sorry you're going through such a hard time atm.
Have you been to any kind of talking therapy OP?
I don't follow any particular religion but the knowing I have is that the presence of god/soul/source is inside every one of us, finding a way to connect to the true inner self. Finding stillness and quiet contemplation as often and for as long as you can manage can help unlock this.
I wish you all the best, you aren't on your own, we're all connected, god bless.
Please come back to chat if you can.

Sorry to hear your troubles op. Are you getting treated by a doctor? the only thing that will help you here is medicine and therapy. Please say your not relying on the 'power of prayer'!

I always thought that the role of god in mental health was to provide a belief for you to fall back on to keep you going. God helps those that help themselves.

Julie I don't think there's a need for sarcasm.

You did get help, your dp cares for you and called the police, and the police were able to find you and keep you safe . I'd say your prayers were answered.

Sometimes it's difficult to see the good around you when you have mental health problems.

Most of the time God uses other humans to help - think how frightened anyone in the Bible was when they saw an angel! I find answers to prayers take a few days and then just 'click in my head. Pay attention to your thoughts - is God trying to talk to you by introducing more positive mental messages? Sometimes mental illness can make it very hard to hear Him.

@GerddwrEryri I don't know but I will pray for you in the meantime. I've prayed continuously for gods intervention with my mentally ill son and felt that he has had no help but maybe it's a time thing? Maybe we expect immediate action from GOD but it's in his time frame? I really don't know but through all of my shit, praying is the only hope I've had?

God has his own plan. And that includes allowing suffering, death, even suicide. Don't count on intervention saving you.

That's of course if you believe in god.

My father was terminally ill.

My mother ( a born again) was told by her church that if she prayed hard enough god would save him.

She was on her knees for weeks.

He died.

She feels responsible for his death because she didn't pray hard enough.

Religion is filthy.

Why is it on MN that the philosophy and religion corner is not a safe space for religious people? People feel the need to butt in and make snide comments when they clearly don't believe. I don't understand. I'm clearly asking for support from fellow Christians (well actually anyway who believes in God whether that be the Christian God, Allah, or whatever). If you don't believe in God you have the ability to ignore the religious posts.

Thank you to all who have actually offered support. I am under the care of my GP who has recently referred me back to the psychiatrist and back to counselling.

I like the take on it that DP cared enough to call the police and maybe that's God answering my prayers.

I feel very fragile. I am back in work. I really shouldn't be but I can't afford to take time off

Religion needs to be challenged.

It has a great influence on society- we are all subject to the powers of the church even when we don't believe.

speakout i don't think this is the time or place.

Gerd i have a very religious friend (muslim) who is suffering from terrible depression. She saw a spiritual counsellor recently. I don't know how it went for her but will find out.
Could you seek out talking therapies that would incorporate your beliefs.
Best of luck xxx

speakout please challenge it elsewhere.

I'm sorry about your friend Kalifornia. I'm sure I messaged a Christian counselling group a while back but didn't hear anything back. I'll have to see if there are any other groups around. Tbh I messaged the original Christian one as I can't afford private counselling and this group asked only for what one can afford.

Please do reach out again - or at your own church (if you attend.) xx

Gerd, I hope that you find the support you need in your faith
I know that you are not Catholic, I'm not Christian but find interesting and useful thoughts in this...

Pope Francis’ sermon the other day:-

You can have flaws, be anxious, and even be angry, but do not forget that your life is the greatest enterprise in the world. Only you can stop it from going bust. Many appreciate you, admire you and love you. Remember that to be happy is not to have a sky without a storm, a road without accidents, work without fatigue, relationships without disappointments.To be happy is to find strength in forgiveness, hope in battles, security in the stage of fear, love in discord. It is not only to enjoy the smile, but also to reflect on the sadness.It is not only to celebrate the successes, but to learn lessons from the failures.It is not only to feel happy with the applause, but to be happy in anonymity. Being happy is not a fatality of destiny, but an achievement for those who can travel within themselves. To be happy is to stop feeling like a victim and become your destiny's author. It is to cross deserts, yet to be able to find an oasis in the depths of our soul. It is to thank God for every morning, for the miracle of life. Being happy is not being afraid of your own feelings. It's to be able to talk about you. It is having the courage to hear a "no". It is confidence in the face of criticism, even when unjustified. It is to kiss your children, pamper your parents, to live poetic moments with friends, even when they hurt us. To be happy is to let live the creature that lives in each of us, free, joyful and simple. It is to have maturity to be able to say: "I made mistakes". It is to have the courage to say "I am sorry". It is to have the sensitivity to say, "I need you". It is to have the ability to say "I love you". May your life become a garden of opportunities for happiness ... That in spring may it be a lover of joy. In winter a lover of wisdom. And when you make a mistake, start all over again. For only then will you be in love with life. You will find that to be happy is not to have a perfect life. But use the tears to irrigate tolerance. Use your losses to train patience. Use your mistakes to sculpter serenity. Use pain to plaster pleasure. Use obstacles to open windows of intelligence. Never give up .... Never give up on people who love you. Never give up on happiness, for life is an incredible show.
(Pope Francis).

bumpertobumper That is a beautiful piece of writing. There are doubts about the origins though. Which doesn't surprise me as the Pope doesn't strike me as a man that would know of such things.

Gerd, I have just been reading your other thread. I am sorry that you are in such a difficult place. I know from experience that mental illness can tangle the way we think and the way we relate to God. I was in a similar place to your dh in the summer as my dh tried to take his own life. I was the one who had to phone the police, it was an agonising decision to make and my dh hated me for it at the time.

I listened to a sermon shortly after which really helped me see things differently. Basically the person talking explained that although so many things have changed through out history, people haven't changed. Our minds and bodies work the same way as God intended and because of that there is no barrier to God understanding us and knowing our pain.

If you feel you need or want to talk to the crisis team, your GP can refer you. Would your dh phone for you? I really hope you can access some help and I will also pray for you.

Gerd, I'm an atheist and have been since my teens, but I just want to say, from this atheist to you the Christian, I'm so sorry you're going through such a horrible time. I know religion is a big thing to believers and I sincerly hope you find the comfort you're looking for and I hope you're future is happier. 💐

I agree with a PP about The Boss putting people in our lives at exactly the right time, ans using humans to help us. I, for one, would brick it if I saw an angel- yet He put my spiritual parents in my life at a time when I didn't even believe in Him!

Praying for peace OP

🌷