Mental Health - How crazy are you?

[carloser]

We tend to think of as a description of the deep psychological problems with a specific diagnosis, such as classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association from mental illness.

 

[yanno the meek]

I'm so crazy I once thought, in all sincerity (when I was under a lot of stress), that someone broke into my house and stole my toothpaste.

The craziest person I've ever known elaborately wrapped a building in colored tissue paper. They took him to the mental hospital, he ended up being certified.

The weirdest person I've ever known bought every professional wrestling DVD available to be sold--all of them, everywhere, from every federation past and present--and stored them in his bedroom. He ended up being certified too.

 

[strelok0017]

That's nothing. It's common for me to start fearing that one day I might hate God.

That gets me down totally and when this happens my mental state falls into ruins. Also it's common for me to start fearing that horrible things might happen to people who are close to me, because of me. I also feared a couple times that in His sovereignty God might let an automobile or a bus just run onto me because of my unbelief. I have all sorts of strange fears and sometimes even nightmares about them which is why I think I will never be able to finish the book of Revelation. I am fearful most of the time and I don't know how to stop this. Nothing has to happen, just include me in a group of more than 10 people and you'll see how strange I am which somewhat makes me scared of being in a large group of people and communicating with many people at once.

 

[yanno the meek]

Also it's common for me to start fearing that horrible things might happen to people who are close to me, because of me. I also feared a couple times that in His sovereignty God might let an automobile or a bus just run onto me because of my unbelief. I have all sorts of strange fears and sometimes even nightmares about them which is why I think I will never be able to finish the book of Revelation. I am fearful most of the time and I don't know how to stop this. Nothing has to happen, just include me in a group of more than 10 people and you'll see how strange I am which somewhat makes me scared of being in a large group of people and communicating with many people at once.

Like you I have fears as well. The medications do a lot for it but they never go away. I'm convinced that someone is listening to my phone calls, is watching me and such. I used to live my life around this fear but now, with the help of medications, I just think there is an FBI guy bored to tears somewhere.

The meds help but there is also a coping skill which I developed which I think you would find extremely valuable as well. It is a realization (reinforced over years of Christian practice) that this life is not our reward; when we die we go to our reward. No matter what we do in this life or what we do to others our reward awaits us. If we harm others (even permanently) we do what we can to reverse the damage, we pray for forgiveness from God and Man but then we move on, doing the works which God commanded us to do in preparation for our judgement and reward.

This has the effect of allowing me to function day to day but it also has a wonderful side effect: It gives me a rock solid belief in the afterlife even to the point that I don't grieve when I hear on the news of a child dying because I know God will judge the innocent as innocent. Maybe that's callous but its the price I pay for being functional and I can live with it.

 

[strelok0017]

My hope is absolute sovereignty of God over everything. If I didn't believe this I would, spiritually, probably die. God has things in control and He is very gentle and good to me. He disciplines me well and that is how I know that He is by my side and He sent His son, He gave Jesus to me.

Mental battles can be difficult but each time they come I try to ignore them. I can't win, no way. The more I fight, the worse it gets. I thought that, perhaps, if I fight for a while and by the grace of God have some victory, that my mind would stop smashing me but it just doesn't work. Especially with my random depression. I'm not taking any meds because it's not that serious.

I pray that the Lord helps us all.

 

[carloser]

I got so happy after reading your replies... thanks to all..

 

[Yahu]

I'm so crazy I actually believe that the Bible is the word of Yah and is total TRUTH (at least in its original language).

I'm so crazy I believe that most mental illnesses are demonically caused.

Well at least some people think I'm crazy. Personally, I don't agree with them.

 

[Catherineanne]

I'm so crazy I actually believe that the Bible is the word of Yah and is total TRUTH (at least in its original language).

I'm so crazy I believe that most mental illnesses are demonically caused.

Well at least some people think I'm crazy. Personally, I don't agree with them.

I have a mental illness which was caused by my parents, and made worse by an abusive spouse. No demons.

Personally, I think anyone who is willing to judge others as you have is influenced by demons far more than those of us who are simply unwell. After all, we have no choice, whereas you purposedly choose to stigmatise your brothers and sisters. Where does the Bible give you permission to do that, exactly?

I would not change places with your 'sanity' for all the tea in China.

 

[Catherineanne]

We tend to think of as a description of the deep psychological problems with a specific diagnosis, such as classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association from mental illness.

Mental illness can appear crazy, and sometimes feel crazy, but once we understand how it works, and what exactly is missing or going wrong, it rarely is. After all, a person suffering a heart attack or with a broken leg does not exactly behave in a sane way, does he? But we do not stigmatise that in the same way; we understand that extreme symptoms cause extreme behaviours, and we treat the cause. Once the heart is beating regularly again, once the leg is set, the extreme symptoms go away. No demons, no craziness, just a normal response to extreme events.

Mental illness is just that; illness. It needs treatment, and then it may or may not get better. Exactly the same as any other illness.

Don't let anyone else label you as crazy, and most importantly, don't label yourself that way. It is not helpful.

 

[Catherineanne]

That's nothing. It's common for me to start fearing that one day I might hate God.

You have nothing to fear from this, strelok. Believe me, I know.

When my daughter was very small, I said something she did not like one day and she said, 'I hate you!' I really just wanted to laugh; she was so small, and so defiant, but it was good that she could be honest with me.

I didn't laugh; I took her words seriousy and said to her, 'That is fine. You can hate me if you want to; feelings are allowed. But you will soon love me again, because love and hate are two sides of the same coin; they go together. You could not hate me so much if you did not love me very, very much, as I love you very, very much. And I always will love you.'

I think God is the same, only better. God will never turn his back on us, and he will never cease loving us, whatever we feel about him. You can be honest with him; he can take it, and he will not stop loving you, particularly if you are unwell.

He has a particular love, a particular Grace and blessing for those of us who bear mental illness of any kind. We are very close to his heart.

 

[Yahu]

I have a mental illness which was caused by my parents, and made worse by an abusive spouse. No demons.

Personally, I think anyone who is willing to judge others as you have is influenced by demons far more than those of us who are simply unwell. After all, we have no choice, whereas you purposedly choose to stigmatise your brothers and sisters. Where does the Bible give you permission to do that, exactly?

I would not change places with your 'sanity' for all the tea in China.

So you suffered abuse. Who hasn't to some extent?

Personally I lost my wife in a horrific fashion. There are people in prison for life for the things they did to us. Over a dozen people ended up dead. Have I been angry for that? Of course. Did I ran off to kill all the people involved? No, regardless of how much I wanted to at the time.

The problem with modern day psychiatry is it is all about putting the blame onto someone or something else instead of being accountable for our own actions. Do I have anger issues because of the things I suffered? Yes, but it is up to me to keep that under control. I don't try to pass off the blame on others for my problems. I just understand the source and rebuke it.

 

[Catherineanne]

So you suffered abuse. Who hasn't to some extent?

How underwhelmingly compassionate.

Personally I lost my wife in a horrific fashion. There are people in prison for life for the things they did to us. Over a dozen people ended up dead. Have I been angry for that? Of course. Did I ran off to kill all the people involved? No, regardless of how much I wanted to at the time.

I am very sorry to hear that. It must have been very difficult for you.

The problem with modern day psychiatry is it is all about putting the blame onto someone or something else instead of being accountable for our own actions. Do I have anger issues because of the things I suffered? Yes, but it is up to me to keep that under control. I don't try to pass off the blame on others for my problems. I just understand the source and rebuke it.

Psychiatry is not, as you suggest, about attributing blame. Far from it. It is about finding a way to function when faced with particular limitations in life. Such as anger issues, for example. Rebuking anger is unlikely to help, though; that is just venting your anger towards yourself, and will tend to lead to depression. Good luck with that.

Blame is something else entirely.

 

[non-religious]

[Yahu] I don't try to pass off the blame on others for my problems.

Well if that method works for you then great, but do understand that it is not a one hat fits all solution. If you have experienced those things, then I would expect one to have a little more compassion for others who are dealing with similar situations.

I just understand the source and rebuke it.

Again, if you feel that works for you.

 

[SnappleX]

"I found my friends They're in my head"

 

[SnappleX]

The devil has waged war in my head

 

[LaineyHarrison]

Whatever Demons lurk in the shadows of my soul have sure made me crazy. I am left with so much wrong with me, i have too many thread options to chose one, so i decided to opt for 'general'. It's good to know i'm not alone in this anymore. God has truly sent me to safety.

God Bless x

 

[Lik3]

I must be nuttier than a fruitcake because I can get scared of even my own shadow.

 

[cliffco]

what about dysfunctionality how do we deal with such behavior . , we all heard how it affects family and life. its like there are lots of people seems to have it. comes to worst if you find your self to have one too.

oh any they may need prayers too...

 

[cafefan374]

The paranoia that if I don't do something in a particular order that God is going to allow something terrible to happen to me like get a life threatening illness or allow my marriage (if I get one) to fail from an affair. It's to the point that me and God are not really speaking b/c I'm always paranoid about something and I just need to do some soul searching and a study of the bible on my own b/c right now I'm all over the place and if I don't take this break, I'm afraid that I'll end up leaving God forever which I DO NOT want to do.

 

[lilewe]

Im a bit of a nutcase. / This is a very hard question to answer. How can anyone really judge or compare how crazy they are? Everyone has some craziness. Perhaps the most crazy people don't even realize they are crazy at all. Perhaps if you can see where you are crazy, you really are quite sane and in touch with reality. At least you can see you have a problem.