Mental health is complex. The mind can deceive us. It can tell us untruths. It can hold on to memories, hurts, words spoken, abuses, traumas, and suppress them for a time then bring them back to the surface without warning. There can be a disconnection between what we know about ourselves; what we know about God; who He says he is; who He says we are. There can be chemical imbalances that are working against us that need to be addressed.
Christians are not immune from mental illness; we are human after all. Mental health warning signs of illness include a wide range of excessive behavior like: anxiety, panic, sadness, fear, worry, irritability, eating habits, sleeping habits, and social habits. The National Alliance on Mental Illness gives the following conditions
- Anxiety Disorders
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Bipolar Disorder
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Depression
- Dissociative Disorders
- Eating Disorders
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
- Psychosis
- Schizoaffective Disorder
- Schizophrenia
There is no shame to seek out the help of Christian counselors and mental health professionals. The biggest hurdle may be asking for help. Maybe you just need someone to talk to and walk with you through your struggles. Don’t forget about Celebrate Recovery for all “hurts, habits, and hang-ups” -it’s not just for substance abuse. Check with your church which may have a counselor on staff. There are many faith-based, Christian counselors, therapists and psychologists. Check locally but you can also check for counselors through the National Association of Christian Counselors or Christian Care Connect through American Association of Christian Counselors.
Check out Very Well Mind that rated the 7 best online Christian counseling services.
Faithful Counseling made a list for immediate help, below is a portion:
- Emergency: 911
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1- 800-799-7233
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) (for Veterans Crisis line press 1)
- National Hopeline Network: 1-800-SUICIDE (800-784-2433)
- Crisis Text Line: Text “DESERVE” TO 741-741
- Lifeline Crisis Chat (Online live messaging): https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/
- Self-Harm Hotline: 1-800-DONT CUT (1-800-366-8288)
- American Association of Poison Control Centers: 1-800-222-1222
- National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependency Hope Line: 1-800-622-2255
- National Crisis Line – Anorexia and Bulimia: 1-800-233-4357
- Veterans Crisis Line: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net
Note: California Christian College is not endorsing any of the above agencies, associations, businesses, or centers. Please take care to do your own research.