Mental Illness: A Faith Perspective

Although most respectable members of society try to look healthy and content in public, mental illness is as common and invisible among the faithful as it is in secular circles. I would wager that mental health issues are especially prevalent among the devout who are serious about their inner life; when people tackle deep inner issues which prevent……

What’s wrong with you, anyway?

Have you taken a good look around lately? What do you see and hear? The whole atmosphere of modern society is stressful because people are anxious about the economy and their job security. They have problems sleeping or self medicate with alcohol, drugs and cigarettes to help ‘take the edge off’. More and more sick……

An Invisible Illness Becomes Visible

I finally understood why Sandy cut herself. I was confused as well as repulsed; Sandy, a pretty young woman cut herself. It seemed completely inexplicable to me. Of course I recoiled from her. Interestingly soon after this encounter, one of my daughters broke her foot. Suddenly she attracted people who were eager to help her.……

There’s a Hole in My Bucket, Dear Liza, Dear Liza

understanding mental illness If you ever went to camp as a child, singing delightfully annoying songs around a campfire, perhaps you can remember an especially irritating song with the ever repeating phrase "there's a whole in my bucket dear Liza, dear Liza, dear Liza, a hole". Of course, the even more annoying answer follows unerringly,"well…

Society’s Sneaky Scapegoat Game

Every society has a tradition of a scapegoat, a person or a group of people to blame and punish for the sins of that particular culture. People need to blame someone for the problems and suffering in their personal lives and in the life of their community as a whole, so they pick on someone……

The Invisible Becomes Visible

I finally understood why Sandy cut herself. I was confused as well as repulsed; Sandy, a pretty young woman cut herself. It seemed completely inexplicable to me. Of course I recoiled from her. Interestingly soon after this encounter, one of my daughters broke her foot. Suddenly she attracted people who were eager to help her.……

DAY 7 Invisible Illness vs. Visible Illness

Picture these two separate scenes.  In the first vignette,  a smiling young woman with a cumbersome backpack, hobbles on crutches towards heavy doors leading to a lecture hall. Before she can even touch the handle, two young men sprint up to open the door as well as  politely offer to carry her bag till she is sitting comfortably at……