Mental Illness is not a Punishment: Destigmatizing Mental Illness in Church Communities

“You’re feeling anxious because you are not grounded in the Word.”

“You’re depressed because you are not praying enough.” 

“Your faith isn’t strong enough.” 

Growing up in a church community, individuals were often shamed for mental illness and/or experiences of abuse and trauma. In many faith-based communities, mental health was and is  considered to be a punishment, symptomatic of a character flaw or a barometer of how much a person read the Bible or prayed. An individual was often shamed for speaking about his or her mental health conditions, creating a culture that fosters the internalization and cultivation of feelings and experiences of guilt, shame, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse.  

An individual’s mental health is not a choice, and it is not a punishment. There are various reasons as to why an individual may experience mental health challenges and/or a mental health diagnosis. Perhaps an individual has a history of mental illness in his or her family or has experienced trauma from a young age that has yet to be addressed. Sometimes there is no reason that he or she may be able to pinpoint; an individual may just find themselves feeling anxious in certain situations. Regardless of the cause, these diagnoses can be scientifically supported by images of the brain that indicate biological changes that may alter an individual’s mind, thoughts, emotions, cognition and even physical functioning. Yet church communities often do not seem to acknowledge that mental health may also be as much a physical illness as it is a mental one.

Churches and faith based communities are and will be on the frontline of the mental health crisis. In shifting one’s perspective to see that mental illness is not a punishment, a posture of compassion and empathy will begin the destigmatization of mental health and illness in church and faith-based communities. Spirituality and faith can be a powerful source of healing and community if we allow it to be. Beginning to welcome discussions of mental illness is the first step. Let’s lean in and listen.