Mental Health Through Spiritual Insight!

The VOICE OF HOPE

 

Life within our physical body cannot be sustained without our spiritual body.
“There is a natural body; and there is a spiritual body.” (Corinthians 15:44)

Thoughts, words, attitudes, actions, and reactions rise out of the knowledge we have taken into our mind. That which is innately within us in our spirit, through our connectedness to God, also influences our thoughts, words, attitudes, actions and reactions through our soul via our emotions and feelings. The knowledge and experiences we receive in relation to self, others, God, and life, have a significant impact on our responses and reactions to self, others, God, and life as a whole.

 

BODY & SOUL HEALTH

The health of our spiritual body is reflected in our physical body, and conversely the health of our physical body is reflected in our spiritual body. Therefore, depression and anxiety rebound on both the body and the soul in any or all of the following ways:

· Lethargy and lack of motivation,

· Gastric upsets, palpitations, shortness of breath, headaches,

· Unfounded fear and/or worry,

· Loss of concentration and forgetfulness,

· Irritation, frustration, guilt, and/or shame,

· Social withdrawal, isolation and/or social phobia

· Inexplicable crying,

· Mood swings, including moroseness

· Intense anger and irritability

· Anger with God, with leaders, and with the world as a whole,

· Others…………

 

TRADITIONAL REMEDIES

Traditional coping strategies have included symptom management through:

· Medications including antidepressants, mood stabilizers, sleeping tablets and potions

· Psychiatric and/or psychological counselling

· Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

· Hospitalisation

· Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT)

 

The first port of call for the treatment of depression and anxiety is generally the local doctor. The Churches also have an important role to play. Symptoms such as depression and anxiety are natural reactions to negative life experiences, relationship challenges and/or abuse. There is no shame in experiencing depression or anxiety or any other ‘mental illness.’ The shame is in not seeking help when it is readily available, thereby denying self of the opportunity to receive the necessary help to rise above the ‘illness’ in order to enjoy life to the full.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPIRITUAL/PHYSICAL REMEDIES

All of the following are complimentary to traditional remedies when dealing with depression and anxiety; traditional remedies should not be overlooked or discounted.

“Let us love one another, for love is of God.” (1 John 4:7)

· Learn self calming and self regulation skills in conjunction with your therapist

· Address underlying cause/s through good experiential/spiritual counselling and practical means

· Spend quality time with family and/or friends

· Spend quality time with God through prayer, meditation, praise and worship in like minded fellowship with singing, uplifting music and/or dancing. “The Lord is the spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Corinthians 3:17)

· Spend time with nature in a garden, in the bush, near water, on a hill, watching a sunrise or sunset, etc.

· Have sufficient sleep, rest and exercise

· Eat a well balanced diet

· Use positive affirmations about self and life

· Endeavour to understand and accept self in relation to God, others, life, and death

· Receive healing through prayer and anointing with oil

· Spend time at a healing and recovery centre in personal retreat time

· Do something special for yourself and/or for another

· Use aromatherapy and natural herbal remedies

· Be reconciled with self, others, and with God

 

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.”  (GALATIANS 5:22-23)

“The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” (JAMES 3:17)

 

 

Spiritual needs for mental health include:

· Strong, loving relationships based on unconditional love

· Respect for self and for others

· Trust in self and others

· Acceptance of self and others. A sense of belonging and purpose

· Faithfulness, loyalty, and fidelity

· Appreciation of self and others

· Just self discipline, self control, responsibility

· Reconciliation, knowledge and information

· Fun and laughter

 

All of the above promote inner peace and harmony,

and have the potential to reduce depression, fear, and anxiety.

 

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry

about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

                                                                 Jesus quoted in MATTHEW 6:34

“God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

(Paul of Tarsus 66AD, Timothy 1:7)