Talking Taboos: Mental Illness and Mental Health
On Sunday our Talking Taboos series will continue with politics, but I wanted to address another “taboo” topic in today’s Weekday Wonderings – Mental Illness and Mental Health. Like race, mental illness is another instance where the church has historically sometimes done very poorly handling, at the same time that there are strong arguments from our faith about the importance of this topic. Like race, differing ability, class, gender identity and sexual orientation, and more – our affirming commitment is to be a church for all people, where all are valued and we see in each other the divine reflection of God’s love.
At General Council 43 this summer, there were two proposals that came forward related to Mental Health, one from Maritime conference “Mental Health Training” recommended requiring that ministry personnel receive mental health training. The proposal noted: “Approximately one in four Canadians is affected by mental illness. Every Pastoral Charge includes members and their families that are suffering from mental illness and the stigma attached to it. Ministry personnel frequently encounter a full spectrum of mental health issues with parishioners and neighbours in their community.” Another proposal from Alberta and Northwest Conference “Mental Health and the Mission of the Church” recommended that our church become more intentional about being a welcoming and caring place for people affected by mental illness. In this proposal, they note: “Often times we seem to forget that the persons living with mental illness are human beings who are created in the image and likeness of God. The weight of the stigma surrounding persons who are living with mental ilnnesses drives many of them, and their families, into a state of unhealthy silence. This conspiracy of silence is also found in the church where it is not often that we hear about the issues of mental illness in the proclamation or programming of the church.” We know that there are many of us in our congregation and communities affected directly and indirectly by mental illness, but often we address this indirectly. How do we as a congregation and as the wider church, ensure we create spaces that are safe and welcoming for all people to bring their whole selves?
Actually, illness more broadly – not only mental illness – is sometimes handled very poorly, because of the misuse of the healing stories of Jesus by some. The stories of Jesus healing are metaphors for the transformative, life-giving, and life-changing, loving presence of God. They do not tell us that people with illness, mental illness, or disability are lesser, or are not whole beings beloved by God. However, even as we challenge the misuse of these stories in instances of illness, and I hope differing ability, we need to be sure to name the need to challenge the idea these stories being misused in terms of mental illness as well.
One of the reasons that mental illness might be particularly challenging is that over time there has been a simplification, or reduction, in what we value about human beings, so that people’s minds or intelligence are given particular weight when we consider someone. A mind/body dualism, or spirit/body dualism suggests that what happens in this world, or to our bodies, does not matter as much as what happens to our minds or spirits. This leads to an emphasis on the idea of heaven over our lives hear on earth, and thus to religion being used as, in Marx’s critique “the opiate of the masses.” If we allow ourselves to fall into this dualistic form of thinking, our minds (the part of ourselves we cannot see but value most) are particularly important – meaning that mental illness becomes particularly significant in how we value ourselves and others. Is this a contributing factor for the stigma that exists around mental illness? You are welcome to disagree with me, but I think this argument about the way our religion has been reshaped could be made. The counter to this approach, then, is remembering that this dualism is not the only, or even best, understanding of our religious tradition. Instead, important to our faith is the understanding that we are comprised of all aspects of ourselves – the physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional. These are interrelated, and we seek wholeness (which is not the same as healing) in all these things. As whole people of God, we move towards balance, recognizing that all parts of ourselves are sacred and loved.
In the context of this discussion of why this topic matters deeply for our faith, we remember why we need to speak out about this “taboo” topic, and what we can do in our words and actions.
Stigma is a very real concern for people living with mental illness. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) distinguishes between stigma, the negative stereotype, and discrimination, the behaviour that results from that stereotype. This page also talks about what we can do to address stigma and discrimination, using the STOP criteria:
Use the STOP criteria to recognize attitudes and actions that support the stigma of mental health conditions. It’s easy, just ask yourself if what you hear:
- Stereotypes people with mental health conditions (that is, assumes they are all alike rather than individuals)?
- Trivializes or belittles people with mental health conditions and/or the condition itself?
- Offends people with mental health conditions by insulting them?
- Patronizes people with mental health conditions by treating them as if they were not as good as other people?
If you see something in the media which does not pass the STOP criteria, speak up! Call or write to the writer or publisher of the newspaper, magazine or book; the radio, TV or movie producer; or the advertiser who used words which add to the misunderstanding of mental illness. Help them realize how their words affect people with mental health conditions.
Start with yourself. Be thoughtful about your own choice of words. Use accurate and sensitive words when talking about people with mental health conditions.
We can also think about how we use words that relate to or imply mental illness. This takes some attention, because it can be so pervasive in our speech, but what if the effect if we call an idea or a person “crazy” if we disagree with their actions or approach? What kind of humour do we laugh at and consider acceptable, or not challenge for the sake of the comfort of ourselves and others?
Finally, mental health is an important topic for all. The Canadian Mental Health Association has some resources, including a comparison between mental health and physical health.
Do you have further thoughts or resources to share? Let me know and I can add them to this post.
Interested in this Talking Taboos series? We’ll talk about more taboos over the next three Sundays, as well as a few more only in this Weekday Wonderings.
Blessings, Rev. Emily Gordon
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