aloneMental health is a hot topic issue in the media that comes in and out of coverage on a regular basis. Last summer, the world was shocked when news spread that the comedian/actor Robin Williams had committed suicide. For days afterward, new information into Williams’ private life and his struggle with depression were spewed across most news mediums. These conversations really struck home with me, especially since I’ve dealt with depression of and on for several years. Most recently, I have experienced severe anxiety that at times would result in panic attacks. It is distressing to me that mental health is more often than not still considered a taboo topic, especially within the church.

For many people, mental illness is something that is unfathomable. If you haven’t experienced depression or anxiety, it can be difficult to relate to how debilitating they can become. I first began experiencing depression around the time I turned thirteen. It was one of the darkest times in my life. I felt no hope of respite from the feelings of despair that were eating away at me inside. At one point, I became suicidal, although I never made an attempt on my life. Over the course of time, my depression lessened, but I felt ashamed of it and myself. It was an experience that I revealed to very few people, and while I have experienced it again throughout the years since then, it has never escalated to the degree of what it had once been.

Then last October, after a couple of months working three jobs and attending grad school full time, I began to feel a build-up of anxiety that eventually resulted in panic attacks. I constantly felt on edge. My symptoms quickly developed into physical symptoms of headaches and severe stomach pain. My muscles were constantly tense, and I found it near impossible to relax, concentrate, or sleep. After months of what was becoming an increasingly debilitating situation, I sought out counseling and medication. Over the past several weeks, I have had people come up to me and tell me, “You look so happy!” It wasn’t until I started hearing these comments that I realized just how deep of a hold my anxiety had over my life. . I’m still in a healing process, and still have days where anxiety tries to rule me, but I’m becoming more aware of myself and understand how to better control my anxiety.

For some reason, many Christians still believe that mental health issues are not of the same importance as physical illnesses. Rather, many believe that if someone is depressed, that it is a reflection on their spiritual life, or relationship with Jesus. They often come to the conclusion that they must be guilty or sinning in some way that has resulted in depression. As a result of this belief, it is often believed that you can just pray away depression, anxiety, or any other mental illness. This line of thought can be extremely dangerous, especially when Christians reject medical attention in favor of prayer or biblical counseling. Some circles go as far as explicitly dissuading people from seeking medical help, because they wouldn’t be trusting God and his ability to heal.

In my experience, if you have persistently felt depressed or anxious, and felt your quality of life decrease, then you should seek medical attention. While it is important to trust in God and his healing abilities, I don’t believe that seeking medical attention negates such trust. After all, if you had pneumonia you wouldn’t refuse to seek out a doctor. If you did neglect such an illness, it could lead to life threatening complications, or later result in complications. Mental illnesses are just as serious as the physical ones, and it’s time that we start acknowledging that. As Christians, we should be seeking to create an environment where it is acceptable to discuss these struggles and to extend grace to those who are suffering. We must make it clear that we know that it is not something that is the fault of the person, nor does it define them. We should be offering hope and support, not condemnation or rejection.