Here is what biblical counselors suggest we do for the following mental disorders. Do you believe these treatments are ethical? Effective? This is taken out of the Christian's Guide to Psychological Terms.
Anorexia: "The anorexic's behavior is sin. She is worshipping thinness and making her appearance and weight an idol. She is focused on self rather than on God. With anorexics, look for self-pity, blame-shifting, and dishonesty . . . Her thoughts must be renwed through God's word. She must recognize her sins and repent." (10)
Asperger's: "Failure to establish mutually supportive interpresonal relationships with other believers is sin even if an individual has been diagnosed with Asberger's disorder."
Body Dysmorphic Disorder: "BDD is idolatry. Preocuppation with self, resulting in neglect of responsiblities is sin because it arises from a heart that honors self above God (27)
Borderline: "This indiviidual has developed a sinful manner of life that is self seeking. He is totall self-abosrbed . . . The core heart issue is pride. He believes that everyone must organize their entire lives around his happiness. (28)
Bulimia: "The bulimic must repent, confess her sin, and study the Scriptures to understand how she can learn to fear God, not man." (31)
DepressionL "The symptoms of depression are indicative of wrong thinking and\or spiritual problems . . . Depression is a sin if we allow the feelings to control our life instead of God." (56)
OCD: "Obsessive compulsive beahvior is a manifestation of ungodly fear .. . The counselee has become so consumed with his fear that his whole life is foucsed on preventing it. The counselor needs to help the counselle identify the sins resulting from his unblical response to fear. He may be incosniderate of others. . . He is being deceptive. The counselee will overcome his fear as he repents." (114)
Schizophrenia (164): "Schizophrenia is an exaggerated resposne to fear, guilt, and hopelessness. He has unmitigated guilt and much to fear. For this reason a schizoprehnic should be considered an unbeliever until proven otherwise (even if he has a history of effective Christian ministry)."
Tourette's (202): "The descrpition of the emotional urge that pressures the person to perform the tic is identical to the urges associated with enslaving habits (porn, drunkenness, etc.) Since no brain abnormality can be identified in Tourette's patients, the biblical principles for overcoming enslaving sins should be applied . . . The tic is only a superficial problem. The primary issue is the urge that prompts it. The individual has become enslaved. He is willing to do whatever it takes (i.e. the tic), even if it is sinful, to gain fleeting relief from the urge. . . What psychology attributes to a faulty inhibitory mechanism in the brain, the Bible calls a seared conscience and a hardened heart. The only real hope for a hardened heart is repentance, regeneration, and transformation by the Holy Spirit."
Are these treatments ethical? Therepauetic? Should they be illegal (I'm not saying neccessarily yes or no)?
Anorexia: "The anorexic's behavior is sin. She is worshipping thinness and making her appearance and weight an idol. She is focused on self rather than on God. With anorexics, look for self-pity, blame-shifting, and dishonesty . . . Her thoughts must be renwed through God's word. She must recognize her sins and repent." (10)
Asperger's: "Failure to establish mutually supportive interpresonal relationships with other believers is sin even if an individual has been diagnosed with Asberger's disorder."
Body Dysmorphic Disorder: "BDD is idolatry. Preocuppation with self, resulting in neglect of responsiblities is sin because it arises from a heart that honors self above God (27)
Borderline: "This indiviidual has developed a sinful manner of life that is self seeking. He is totall self-abosrbed . . . The core heart issue is pride. He believes that everyone must organize their entire lives around his happiness. (28)
Bulimia: "The bulimic must repent, confess her sin, and study the Scriptures to understand how she can learn to fear God, not man." (31)
DepressionL "The symptoms of depression are indicative of wrong thinking and\or spiritual problems . . . Depression is a sin if we allow the feelings to control our life instead of God." (56)
OCD: "Obsessive compulsive beahvior is a manifestation of ungodly fear .. . The counselee has become so consumed with his fear that his whole life is foucsed on preventing it. The counselor needs to help the counselle identify the sins resulting from his unblical response to fear. He may be incosniderate of others. . . He is being deceptive. The counselee will overcome his fear as he repents." (114)
Schizophrenia (164): "Schizophrenia is an exaggerated resposne to fear, guilt, and hopelessness. He has unmitigated guilt and much to fear. For this reason a schizoprehnic should be considered an unbeliever until proven otherwise (even if he has a history of effective Christian ministry)."
Tourette's (202): "The descrpition of the emotional urge that pressures the person to perform the tic is identical to the urges associated with enslaving habits (porn, drunkenness, etc.) Since no brain abnormality can be identified in Tourette's patients, the biblical principles for overcoming enslaving sins should be applied . . . The tic is only a superficial problem. The primary issue is the urge that prompts it. The individual has become enslaved. He is willing to do whatever it takes (i.e. the tic), even if it is sinful, to gain fleeting relief from the urge. . . What psychology attributes to a faulty inhibitory mechanism in the brain, the Bible calls a seared conscience and a hardened heart. The only real hope for a hardened heart is repentance, regeneration, and transformation by the Holy Spirit."
Are these treatments ethical? Therepauetic? Should they be illegal (I'm not saying neccessarily yes or no)?
