Dr. Richard Foss

Licensed Psychologist in Glendora, California

13 Feb 2014

All Creation Groans, Part 2

Jesus showed compassion for people suffering from various physical, psychological, or spiritual conditions; many had been stigmatized and shunned by his society. In doing so, Jesus rejected the prevailing belief that a sick person deserves to suffer.

“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” (John 9:1-3)

Although Western culture is less inclined to stigmatize physical suffering than in the past, it continues to marginalize people with mental illness. We suspect that those who struggle with depression, anxiety, or similar challenges somehow “brought this on themselves” and insist that they make matters worse by dwelling on their problems. There is truth here. Some mental health problems arise from bad decisions, and people with mental health problems occasionally make choices that perpetuate their problems. While people who abuse alcohol and drugs are especially prone to this, most people with mental health problems have probably made decisions that worsen their suffering. However, science has shown that some people inherit a vulnerability to mental illness; at some point, stress or trauma overwhelms their coping and leads to permanent impairment. Thus, a person’s mental health problems may arise from a combination of poor choices and factors beyond his control. This should be reason enough to withhold judgment.

But Jesus makes an even stronger case for not judging those with mental illness. Our efforts to measure responsibility and assign blame tend to deny our personal vulnerability and brokenness. When we stigmatize people with mental health problems, we expose our hypocrisy; when we marginalize them, we reveal our fear and shortsightedness. In contrast, Jesus sees the person with mental illness as a potential recipient of God’s healing grace and power. When Christians embrace people who suffer from depression, anxiety, or other mental health challenges, they acknowledge the brokenness of all humanity and the arrival of God’s kingdom.

Posted in Mental Health and tagged ,
17 Jan 2014

All Creation Groans, Part 1

“Love don’t live here anymore…” © 2009 Robb North under Attribution 2.0 Generic

Many of my clients are reluctant to share their struggles with family, friends, or coworkers. Their hesitation is well-founded. The average American still does not consider mental illness a topic for polite conversation. Many of us would rather hear a friend talk about her cancer than her depression or panic attacks. On the other hand, mental illness provides more fodder for comedians than cancer. And I am more likely to question another driver’s mental competency (“Are you crazy??”) than suggest that he has lymphoma (“Late for chemo??”). A half century after One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, mental illness continues to bear much stigma.

The stigma of mental illness often causes deep pain within families. Some of my clients are afraid to open up to their loved ones because of past judgment and ridicule. The relationships that once provided them safe haven seem to offer only indifference or contempt. To control the chaos, some families adopt a code of silence and exclude the mentally ill member from important conversation and activity. These families appear intact to outsiders, but insiders know better.

It takes a great deal of courage for people with a mental illness to communicate constructively when their families are not inclined to listen. When my clients succeed at this, they seem to have learned important lessons of assertive communication:

  • I have a right to express my feelings, whether positive or negative.
  • I have a right to ask for what I need and have others respect my needs.
  • I have a right to say no to requests or demands that I cannot meet.
  • I have a right to be angry with people I love, including family members.
  • I have a right to expect honesty from others and confront dishonesty.
Posted in Mental Health and tagged , ,

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