SHARE YOUR STORY
In preparation for the release of Mental Health and the Church, the Key Ministry team assembled resources to assist churches interested in pursuing a mental health inclusion strategy, including the stories from individuals living with a mental health condition. We believe that the church experiences of children and adults with the full range of mental health conditions, both good and bad, are a vital resource for pastors and ministry leaders, to better serve individuals and families living with mental health needs. Church leaders need to know what’s both helpful and hurtful to better serve individuals.
Some of the stories we have received, both before Mental Health and the Church was published and since, are shown below.
If you are interested in helping churches better minister to and with people who have a mental health condition and their families, and would like to share your story, please click here.
STORIES
I grew up attending church consistently. I married my college sweetheart--we married as a strong christian couple. Little was shared with me about his family's medical history and challenges of mental health issues. We had two children. One was diagnosed as a toddler with autism and the other had a post-college diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
Our 22 year old daughter began exhibiting serious mental health problems when she was in 8th grade. Our family was going through several major crisises at that time including a job loss, two youngest entering public school from homeschooling. Our resources were strapped to say the least.
Our daughter suffered from severe mental illness all through her teenage years. Three weeks before her high school graduation, she attempted suicide, and was flown to the ICU at Banner Hospital. A few close friends contacted us by text to say they were praying. No one from our church visited her, no one sent her flowers, or helped us with meals.
My child was diagnosed with a form of autism (Pervasive Developmental Disorder-PDD-NOS) by age 5, received treatment for ADHD with medications for 8 years and received special education for the entirety of schooling. During all those years, I was treated for anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder, both while married and as a single mother.
I was now officially a single mother (with bipolar disorder) working as a flight paramedic (even more stress). One day after working my shift, I came home, called my mother to my house and had a complete breakdown. I had to quit my job because I mentally couldn't do it anymore. My daughter's father decided that he no longer wanted to be her dad (a blessing in disguise). My daughter was having a hard time with this so I made an appointment to see my pastor.
Twenty years ago, I was repeatedly told by many people that I just needed to pray harder and that if my relationship with Jesus was better, my severe depression would be healed . . . But my depression was not healed. I left the church for several years, but returned hoping that not all Christians thought that way. Of course, I also didn’t tell too many church friends about my mental illness.
My husband and I have a son diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. He was diagnosed at the age of 20 and is now 36. We were in between churches at the beginning of his diagnosis. We had friends who became church for us. They were interested, involved, supportive, and prayed, sometimes on their faces.
We told the pastor of the church we settled into our/his story. We attended this church for 12 years and there was never another mention of our situation from our church leaders. We never received the question "How are things going" or "How are you doing" or even "How is he doing?" The church was not so big that our situation would have been lost.