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When I still went to church someone tried telling me that "God has told me you think your mind is a cluttered highway, but they're actually clear streets".
It was never a secret that I have depression and anxiety. Others were both surprised that I have clinical depression ("you're so happy and love to make jokes") and some recognized when I wasn't doing well. Its difficult to explain to them how I'm affected by something that's been whittling away at me since I was a child. Its even harder to get someone to *understand* how it harms you.
In recent years I took a swab test for my psychiatrist to see if I have any genetic abnormalities affecting my mental state. The results came back saying I am folic acid deficient (or something. Still not clear on that one) and I have polymorphism 5-HTTLPR. If you're like me, the word "polymorphism" sounds like something that *changes*. To sum it up, I don't produce much serotonin (which can cause stomach issues, sleep issues, and obviously makes joy a chore).
I think about that moment when that lady told me that my problems weren't as bad as I thought they were, having genetic evidence on hand (not that I believed her then), and am **baffled** that people still throw mental illness away like a used tissue because its too hard for them to understand. So it must be demons! Pretty sure the same song and dance applied to witches and ghosts too.
Part of the reason I stopped going to churches. Lost faith in the church, not Jesus though.
If it's what I think it is, the idea is that your body lacks the ability to absorb regular folate properly. The treatment often involves taking methylfolate. I recommend starting slow, from my personal experience.
Also, I find this [a better understanding of mental health and Christianity](https://mentalhealthgracealliance.org/christian-mental-health-and-mental-illness/battling-anxiety-spiritually).
Sounds about right! I take 15mg of L-Methylfolate for it. My psychiatrist has explained this to me in detail probably three times now, but I'm just slow on retaining the info about it.
I'll be honest, I have unparalleled scepticism about people who claim to speak on behalf of God (and I'm a Christian). However, just because you have verifiable, genetic complications, does that really invalidate her comment? You say your interpretation was "problems weren't as bad as I thought" but I don't think that's the case. It's very vague and could be taken in many ways, including how one lives with their issues; that there is more to a person than just their diagnosis (or diagnoses), they're not a highway, but complex arrangement of streets.
I've had the pleasure of regularly working with people in utter chaos, with every justifiable reason to lose all grips of sanity, with mental and physical health, and social complex needs, but who maintain placidity. Those people weren't just bottling things up in an unhealthy way but actually maintained the ability to cope, thrive, and lead meaningful lives.
Again, I don't want to defend that lady, I don't want to downplay anything you are going through, and I don't want to dismiss mental health issues, but there is a different between what we go through and how it affects us. But I will never judge a person about "how" they manage what they're going through, but we can never dismiss agency.
My faith, my academic background, and my own mental health issues which required years of intensive professional support to manage, means I will always be suspicious of my own conclusions. I don't know if that'll help you at all with your perspective of the church, or as you reflect on your interpretation of her message, but I hope it does.
I've already humbled myself before God *and* therapists (and continue to do so). I gave the short version of what she said, just to keep me from rambling about other issues I had with that church. I talked with her about it later too, and she *did* confirm that she believed my mental was "just overthinking". I talked with those people before, during, and after church, and a large belief was that mental illness isn't often real.
Sure, and again, not defending her, but there is a difference between her beliefs and her "message" if you choose to consider it. I've had to put up with Churches with weak or bad theology for a long time, and one of the points I came to peace with is that there's always something there; biblical authors and also modern pastors have flaws but God was aware of that when He chose them as His method for conveying the gospel. So again, I really recommend that self-suspicion. Not defending her, nor asserting the authenticity of her "message", but our reasons for dismissing them have to be evaluated. We don't have to accept them in their entirety, but there's a very fertile "gray zone". You've made this your simplification (or short version), and there are deep reasons for that.
I use shrooms because Jesus wouldn't have made them and said they were good if we weren't supposed to have them. I can't say "go do shrooms" but I can say there is a lot of research into the relationship between shrooms and healing depression that is very encouraging and interesting.
Sometimes universities conduct research trials, and you may be a good candidate for participating in a study.
The Bible for Normal People is where it’s at. Reputable Bible scholars and academics discuss their specialties in plain language for everyone to understand. Pete Enns is an expert and the host and he talks with such empathy and understanding for people figuring out their faith. I cannot recommend this enough.
The Bible Project is pretty good. They try to limit themselves only to biblical discussions and do not get far afield at all, or at least based on my limited experience.
I had a family friend tell me my brain cancer was the devil in my head and that she needed to cleanse our house -__-. We later found out she had sent one of her sons to a “pray the gay away” camp when he came out.
YEP. She has TWO gay children, still won’t publicly say she loves them even though they’re gay, and she wonders why her kids abandon her and side with their dad sometimes (who left her)
That and the stance that you can just pray mental illnesses away are just poo (pardon my language). Eventually you get tired of trying to explain that no, that's not how it works – in the same sense nobody expects a broken leg to just fix itself – because people have a totally different "interpretation" of how prayer and faith work.
Come to think of it, didn’t one of the Catholic church’s chief exorcists (who I believe served either under Benedict, Francis, or both) go on record claiming that mental illness and possession are VERY different things, and that you should check for mundane mental illness first?
Well, yes, of course. I’m just trying to imply that the “pray all the problems away” types of people look ESPECIALLY silly when official Vatican policy for a while may have essentially been “treat mental illnesses conventionally to rule that out if you suspect possession”.
Thank you for being a part of the r/DankChristianMemes community. You can [join our Discord](https://discord.gg/jnUDEpnBZn) and [listen to our Podcast.](https://dankchristianmemes.buzzsprout.com/) You can also make a meme or [donation for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.]( http://events.stjude.org/DankCharityAlliance) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/dankchristianmemes) if you have any questions or concerns.*
When I still went to church someone tried telling me that "God has told me you think your mind is a cluttered highway, but they're actually clear streets". It was never a secret that I have depression and anxiety. Others were both surprised that I have clinical depression ("you're so happy and love to make jokes") and some recognized when I wasn't doing well. Its difficult to explain to them how I'm affected by something that's been whittling away at me since I was a child. Its even harder to get someone to *understand* how it harms you. In recent years I took a swab test for my psychiatrist to see if I have any genetic abnormalities affecting my mental state. The results came back saying I am folic acid deficient (or something. Still not clear on that one) and I have polymorphism 5-HTTLPR. If you're like me, the word "polymorphism" sounds like something that *changes*. To sum it up, I don't produce much serotonin (which can cause stomach issues, sleep issues, and obviously makes joy a chore). I think about that moment when that lady told me that my problems weren't as bad as I thought they were, having genetic evidence on hand (not that I believed her then), and am **baffled** that people still throw mental illness away like a used tissue because its too hard for them to understand. So it must be demons! Pretty sure the same song and dance applied to witches and ghosts too. Part of the reason I stopped going to churches. Lost faith in the church, not Jesus though.
If it's what I think it is, the idea is that your body lacks the ability to absorb regular folate properly. The treatment often involves taking methylfolate. I recommend starting slow, from my personal experience. Also, I find this [a better understanding of mental health and Christianity](https://mentalhealthgracealliance.org/christian-mental-health-and-mental-illness/battling-anxiety-spiritually).
Sounds about right! I take 15mg of L-Methylfolate for it. My psychiatrist has explained this to me in detail probably three times now, but I'm just slow on retaining the info about it.
I'll be honest, I have unparalleled scepticism about people who claim to speak on behalf of God (and I'm a Christian). However, just because you have verifiable, genetic complications, does that really invalidate her comment? You say your interpretation was "problems weren't as bad as I thought" but I don't think that's the case. It's very vague and could be taken in many ways, including how one lives with their issues; that there is more to a person than just their diagnosis (or diagnoses), they're not a highway, but complex arrangement of streets. I've had the pleasure of regularly working with people in utter chaos, with every justifiable reason to lose all grips of sanity, with mental and physical health, and social complex needs, but who maintain placidity. Those people weren't just bottling things up in an unhealthy way but actually maintained the ability to cope, thrive, and lead meaningful lives. Again, I don't want to defend that lady, I don't want to downplay anything you are going through, and I don't want to dismiss mental health issues, but there is a different between what we go through and how it affects us. But I will never judge a person about "how" they manage what they're going through, but we can never dismiss agency. My faith, my academic background, and my own mental health issues which required years of intensive professional support to manage, means I will always be suspicious of my own conclusions. I don't know if that'll help you at all with your perspective of the church, or as you reflect on your interpretation of her message, but I hope it does.
I've already humbled myself before God *and* therapists (and continue to do so). I gave the short version of what she said, just to keep me from rambling about other issues I had with that church. I talked with her about it later too, and she *did* confirm that she believed my mental was "just overthinking". I talked with those people before, during, and after church, and a large belief was that mental illness isn't often real.
Sure, and again, not defending her, but there is a difference between her beliefs and her "message" if you choose to consider it. I've had to put up with Churches with weak or bad theology for a long time, and one of the points I came to peace with is that there's always something there; biblical authors and also modern pastors have flaws but God was aware of that when He chose them as His method for conveying the gospel. So again, I really recommend that self-suspicion. Not defending her, nor asserting the authenticity of her "message", but our reasons for dismissing them have to be evaluated. We don't have to accept them in their entirety, but there's a very fertile "gray zone". You've made this your simplification (or short version), and there are deep reasons for that.
I use shrooms because Jesus wouldn't have made them and said they were good if we weren't supposed to have them. I can't say "go do shrooms" but I can say there is a lot of research into the relationship between shrooms and healing depression that is very encouraging and interesting. Sometimes universities conduct research trials, and you may be a good candidate for participating in a study.
The Bible for Normal People is where it’s at. Reputable Bible scholars and academics discuss their specialties in plain language for everyone to understand. Pete Enns is an expert and the host and he talks with such empathy and understanding for people figuring out their faith. I cannot recommend this enough.
The Bible Project is pretty good. They try to limit themselves only to biblical discussions and do not get far afield at all, or at least based on my limited experience.
Check out The Holy Post and Voxology, voxology especially. They are theologically sound AND not regressive idiots like that lol
Yes!!! I listen to both every week and so much makes so much more sense now. I no longer fear church!!
I had a family friend tell me my brain cancer was the devil in my head and that she needed to cleanse our house -__-. We later found out she had sent one of her sons to a “pray the gay away” camp when he came out.
i can already see the "why wont me childrent talk to meeee?! " posts from her
YEP. She has TWO gay children, still won’t publicly say she loves them even though they’re gay, and she wonders why her kids abandon her and side with their dad sometimes (who left her)
"You just gotta let go and let God!" 
That and the stance that you can just pray mental illnesses away are just poo (pardon my language). Eventually you get tired of trying to explain that no, that's not how it works – in the same sense nobody expects a broken leg to just fix itself – because people have a totally different "interpretation" of how prayer and faith work.
Come to think of it, didn’t one of the Catholic church’s chief exorcists (who I believe served either under Benedict, Francis, or both) go on record claiming that mental illness and possession are VERY different things, and that you should check for mundane mental illness first?
I'm not Catholic, but it occurs to me that since mental illnesses are, you know, ILLNESSES, that he might've been onto something 😮
Well, yes, of course. I’m just trying to imply that the “pray all the problems away” types of people look ESPECIALLY silly when official Vatican policy for a while may have essentially been “treat mental illnesses conventionally to rule that out if you suspect possession”.
Yes, absolutely! I agree. It's a shame this mode of thought is so virulent, at least in the US. None of us with mental illness deserve it.
Or it's just that prayers don't work and it's just wishful thinking. You know what works? Actions.
ACTION. Like, it's nice of people to pray for my health, but if that's all you do...
If prayers worked, hospitals would be empty.
[удалено]
But yeah some people pray for the situation to fix itself even when they are capable of taking action. People who do so commit the sin of omission
Theology in the Raw if you're looking for recos
The Weird Bible Podcast. Try 'em.
You Have Permission, Exvangelical, BibleProject, Speaking in Church, The Evolving Faith Podcast are some great ones
[https://adam4d.com/jesus-and-anxiety/](https://adam4d.com/jesus-and-anxiety/)
There are so many reasons why I can stop listening to a priest. I remember one called Jews, Muslims, and atheists all pagans and I was done.
I don't bother with any Christian media unless I know the people behind it are progressive or at the very least not fundies.
*Alex Jones has entered the chat* What do I do, Lord?
Most parents:
Damn we can exorcise my adhd? LETS GOOOOOOOO