The Church & Mental Health
Recently, the suicide rate in Malaysia has been climbing. There were 631 suicide cases recorded in year 2020. The Bukit Aman CID director said in a statement on 1 July 2021 that there were 468 suicide cases between January and May 2021. For the same period, the Penang police commissioner reported that 19 suicide attempts were recorded in Penang, on top of 53 deaths from suicide.
Why is mental health so often not addressed in the church?
Some unhelpful comments …
although well-meaning
Many times, the church is ill-equipped to handle the issue of depression. This is due to a lack of awareness and training.
Let me share my personal story.
A Christian leader once remarked in my presence, “I do not understand people who are depressed. They should just snap out of it.”
Wow. That really cut deep.
I never dared to share my own battles with depression thereafter.
I felt that as a Christian, there must have been something wrong with me.
After all, should not the joy of the LORD be my strength (Nehemiah 8:10)? Then, why am I not feeling it? I am a “bad” Christian?
Depression in the Bible
God is not afraid to address this topic in the Bible.
Numerous persons in the Bible faced depression although the word “depression” is not used directly.
When confronted with Jezebel’s death threats, Elijah prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”
(1 Kings 19:4 NIV).
1 Kings 17:12 is one occasion that is very similar to the desperation resulting in the White Flag movement in Malaysia. It was during a time of drought. The widow of Zarephath said to Elijah the prophet, “As surely as the Lord your God lives, I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” We do not have a famine in July 2021 in Malaysia. However, many people are in dire financial straits with continued lockdowns and job loss. Some are surviving on their last pieces of biscuits (or cookies in American English).
Others in the Bible who faced depression were Job (Job 3:11, 20-22), Rebekah (Genesis 27:46; 28:5) and quite possibly, mighty King David (Psalm 22, 69).
Depression is a battle
Depression is like any other health battle in our lives.
We do not go around asking a cancer patient, “I do not understand why you have cancer. You should just snap out of it.”
Friends, we cannot just snap out of depression.
If you can snap out of what you are feeling at that moment, you are not experiencing depression. You may just be feeling what people call “the blues”. A temporary low feeling or mood is normal. It may even be good for us. It allows us to process a negative event in a healthy way. We can often distract ourselves by doing something we enjoy or by talking with a friend.
Depression, however, is a condition that you may need to find help for. Some symptoms of depression include:
Depressed mood, sadness, or an “empty” feeling, or appearing sad or tearful to others
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities you once enjoyed
Significant weight loss when not dieting, or significant weight gain (for example, more than 5% of body weight in a month)
Inability to sleep or excessive sleeping
Restlessness or irritation (irritable mood may be a symptom in children or adolescents too), or feelings of “dragging”
Fatigue or loss of energy
Feelings of worthlessness, or excessive or inappropriate guilt
Difficulty thinking or concentrating, or indecisiveness
Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or specific plan for committing suicide
(source : WebMD)
Depression Treatment: When Should You Get Help?
If you have five or more of these symptoms for most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks, and the symptoms are severe enough to interfere with your daily activities, you may have major depression. Your primary care doctor is a good place to start. Your doctor can screen you for depression, and help you manage and treat your symptoms so that you can feel better.
If you are in Malaysia, some resources that you can reach out to are as below:
Befrienders is offering emotional support 24 hours, 7 days a week to people who are in despair and having suicidal thoughts. Their nationwide number is +603-76272929. The phone number for Penang is +604-2910100 and other contact methods can be found here.
This next resource is for our children. They are facing greater pressure than ever with online learning as well as social and physical isolation. Buddy Bear Childline by Humankind is manned by Psychological First Aid (PFA) trained volunteers and provides a safe space for children and teenagers. Their toll-free line is 1800-18-2327. Humankind is a registered social enterprise based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They are on a mission to improve the social and emotional well-being of all communities especially communities that are underserved and vulnerable.
Georgetown Baptist Church’s CareNet ministry https://www.gbcpg.org/ministries/carenet/ . You can contact Susie or Tong Ik at +604-2287110.
There is no shame in taking care of your mental health. Reach out. You are not alone. We can get through this. Together.
