Breath of fresh air - mental health care

[emilymea]

So, anyone who knows me well knows that the final straw that led me to leave my fundie ways was the criticism I received when starting the journey towards adequate mental health care. I had people telling me all kinds of awefull things because I started using Prozac to treat my depression instead of trusting God. I left fundie-ism at that point and focused on getting healthy again. (I've since been diagnosed with Bipolar, type 1, mixed states.)

I came home, church hopped for awhile and finally settled on a small home group/church plant - a church plant that has an abnormally high amount of people being treated for psychiatric disorders. (There are four of us who have bipolar - approximently a fifth of the group.) Tonight I was at Bible study with my home group. The pastor was there leading (only important because of what happened later) and it was a nice give and take talking about scripture. There were three of us bipolar people there and one of us (not me) was manic. After Bible study was over we were standing around and talking when A. (the woman who was manic) tried to take control of the conversation. I and S., and the pastor, immediately asked her if she was on her meds. When A. said she had stopped one of her meds without Dr. approval our pastor got onto her for not being responsible for her health. He encouraged her to contact her P-doc and get back on her meds. I and S. gave her some advice on how to procede and get adequate mental help in our community at a low cost.

It was such a breath of fresh air to have a pastor immediately care about whether or not a person in his group was taking care of their health and taking their meds. In my fundie days I was told so often that I had a demon that I needed prayed out of me. W. believes in healing and all that, but also thinks that healing can come in the form of medicine and proper medical care. I'm glad to be under someone like that.

[Cran]

When I read the title, I was eager to snark on the book by "Lady" Lydia - but this is much better.

Congratulation on freeing yourself and getting treatment!

[emilymea]

Thanks Cran. I didn't mean to tease with the promise of "Lady" Lydia snark.

I'm happy I'm finding a pastor who is pro-mental health care.