How to Make Peace with Your Past

by with No Comment Mental health

:Let’s talk about a subject that is very important in human life: How to make peace with your past.  When handled properly, it can be overcome, but when handled the wrong way, it can jeopardize relationships to the point of ending them and hurting people. We are talking about our past.

Why to make peace with your past

We all have had experiences that have marked us for good or for bad. Furthermore, we have good memories printed on our minds, moments, people, and places, but we all have bad memories too. They could even be traumatic ones.

Some people go through experiences we cannot even imagine, who have had difficult lives and need to process these experiences to overcome them and have a happy life. But, first, let’s see how our mind works in these scenarios.

How does your mind process traumatic experiences?

When an event overwhelms our ability to cope, either physically, mentally, or emotionally, we experience trauma, which can leave us feeling unsafe, helpless, and struggling with disturbing memories, emotions, and anxiety.

Trauma changes the way we perceive and experience the world and can have a lasting effect on the brain, affecting the behavior of people who did not previously have a mental health condition or even a predisposition to mental health issues.[1] For trauma survivors, after a disturbing or distressing event is over, the brain continues to react to the original stressor, keeping them in a constant state of hypervigilance. It is as if the mind is a soldier prepared for battle, on high alert, ready to face an enemy even though the war is over.

The symptoms of trauma

This scenario brings many symptoms that are not easy to handle. We might notice them, or we might not. The truth is that they can be there without us having the ability to relate them to what we are feeling inside, what we have in our minds, and the experiences we have dealt with. The symptoms of trauma can include:

  • intrusive thoughts,
  • anger,
  • irritability,
  • anxiety, and depression,
  • guilt or shame,
  • isolation or withdrawal from others,
  • dissociation,
  • feeling sadness or hopelessness,
  • and feeling disconnected or numb,
  • among others.

Other symptoms can reflect physically in our bodies due to what we feel in our minds. They may be immunological reactions, digestive symptoms, skin conditions, and others.

Psychological trauma causes the brain to activate mental alarm systems and defenses to protect itself from the perceived threat. The emotional response center of the brain, the amygdala, connects to the sympathetic nervous system. It is responsible for our fight, flight, or freeze response.

When the amygdala activates in response to trauma, it prepares us to escape or confront the threat or attack. The prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for regulating attention, awareness, and reasoning, is impeded by a trauma response, leading to difficulty paying attention and making decisions. Also, it impacts the hippocampus, the part of the brain associated with memory and learning, often leading to problems in those areas.

Why you should make peace with your past

Being in a constant state of fear, hypervigilance, or hyperarousal consumes a great deal of energy and focus, which can lead to mental and physical exhaustion, and potentially manifests itself as physical health issues.

Carrying trauma can impact our ability to trust others, and therefore our ability to build and maintain healthy relationships, including preventing us from fulfilling intimate relationships. While we live in the past, our memories will continue to drive behaviors that sabotage our life and hold back our freedom and the life we deserve.

However, the good news is that the brain can be re-wired to effectively heal from trauma. This malleability of the brain is called neuroplasticity. Thus, it is the ability to grow and create new healthy pathways and replace the maladaptive patterns keeping the mind in a trauma response. With the right treatment and support, you can:

  • heal your past,
  • take back control of your life,
  • and learn to feel safe mentally, physically, and emotionally.

When you make peace with your past

When you heal from past trauma, your relationships will improve, first with yourself as you restore trust and build self-confidence, and also with the people you care about. You will feel more inspired and engaged in life, ultimately living life with greater creativity, joy, meaning, and purpose.

Have you experienced any traumatic situations in your life? Do you identify with some of these symptoms? Did know that the way we process our experiences can have an impact on the way our brain and bodywork? Then, share your answers with us in the comments section. So we can all enrich our experiences when dealing with these issues. God bless you.

[1] American Psychological Association, https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2007/05/brain-function

Steps to cope with the pandemic stress

by with No Comment Mental health

Nobody could have guessed that we would still be talking about the coronavirus and the stress it has produced in our society. Let’s see some steps to cope with the pandemic stress. What we thought was going to be temporary and would quickly disappear has come to stay, taking over 200,000 lives so far, and this number is expected to increase with winter’s arrival.

In the end, we have lost sight of what is “normal.” And, in addition, our biggest concern now, according to Fauci, is the probability of not going back to normal until 2022.

Amid this pandemic, then, a question is raised: what are the people who are surviving this pandemic doing to survive this crisis? The answer is simple and complex at the same time. One of the things these people do is learn how to handle the stress this pandemic is creating.

What is stress?

It is a feeling of physical or emotional tension. It can come from external or internal experiences that make a person feel frustrated, angry, or even nervous. God, in His wisdom, created us in such a masterful way that our bodies are designed to react to any challenge or demand, and, this happens through stress. That means stress is a positive thing for our bodies since it allows us to avoid dangers or fulfill important tasks we have in life.

Stress itself is not a bad thing. The American Psychological Association compares it to the tension of a violin string. If there is little tension, the sound will come out weak and out of tune, if there is too much tension, it will be strident, or the string will break. They also mention, “Stress can be the kiss of death or the spice of life. It is a matter of how to handle it.”

Acute stress

Acute stress is the positive stress we experience. It is the short-term stress that disappears quickly. The best-known reaction to acute stress is the “fight or flight” reaction that arises when you perceive a threat. In these situations, your reaction allows your brain to secrete hormones (for example, cortisol and adrenaline) that allow the pulse and breathing to increase, the muscles to tense, and the brain to consume more oxygen and increase its activity.

The purpose of this kind of stress is to help you survive. You can feel it when you have to turn in an assignment on a specific date, when you step on the brake because a car got in your way, or when a dog starts chasing you. This kind of stress helps you control dangerous situations.

Chronic stress

But, the problem is when stress lasts a long time and becomes chronic stress. Any kind of stress that continues over the weeks or months is chronic. The dangerous aspect of this whole process is that the body gets used to it and does not realize the toxic stress it is experiencing. The body produces a higher level of stress hormones and does not have enough time to recover from it. These hormones build up in the blood and cause serious health problems.

Chronic stress affects the digestive system causing stomach pain, since it takes more time for the stomach to empty after eating, and it can also lead to gastritis and even ulcers. It affects the person’s weight, sometimes leading to obesity because the level of appetite increases.

The immune system is also affected because stress weakens it, which makes the person more susceptible to catching a cold and developing other infections. The nervous system also suffers due to chronic stress, producing anxiety, depression, loss of sleep, and lack of interest in physical activities. It also affects the cardiovascular system, leading to increased blood pressure, heart rate, and fat in the blood, which produce serious cardiovascular problems.

Stress due to the pandemic

Now, why have I decided to talk about the stress this week? Because four out of five people say they have stress due to this pandemic. Fear and anxiety regarding the pandemic and what could happen to us produce a feeling of uncertainty in people, and it can be overwhelming, generating strong emotions in both adults and children.

The isolation measures that have been put in place to control the pandemic make many people feel isolated and lonely, and, likely, stress and anxiety could also increase due to these factors.

How do you know if you are experiencing chronic stress during the pandemic? Generally, chronic stress manifests itself in several ways: digestive system diseases, skin diseases, heart problems, feelings of uncertainty or feeling unsafe, and learned helplessness. It can also cause insomnia, anxiety, depression, emotional fatigue, and even alcohol and/or toxic substance abuse.

A new study developed by the clinical psychologist Emily Kroska at the University of Iowa shows how people can reduce stress during the coronavirus pandemic. The study was called: Psychological Flexibility in the Context of COVID-19, and it was published in the Contextual Behavioral Science Journal.

The study found that people who assessed their emotions as sadness, anxiety, fear, loneliness, and, similar, and then managed those emotions with conscious actions such as calling a friend or a family member, reported having lower levels of stress compared to those who did not want to assess the emotions they experienced.

Steps to cope with the pandemic stress

The steps to follow to deal with and overcome the negative feelings and emotions we may be feeling due to the current situation are:

Step 1: Normalize your daily routine

It is advisable and very important to have good habits and routines in the times we are currently living in. Try to get enough sleep, eat healthily and regularly, and try to maintain order and hygiene in your house. This will help you feel better and in a better environment. Even if we do not believe so, when we are facing stress, we tend to neglect even the most basic things. Keep in mind that they are the basis of survival.

Step 2: Pamper yourself a little

Do simple things like:

  • eating the food you like,
  • bathing at the temperature you like best,
  • listening to your favorite song,
  • and talking and talking with your friends.

Spend at least 15 or 20 minutes on one of these activities, and you will see that you will get wonderful results.

Step 3: Seek to communicate with God

It is the most important thing, what we should pursue the most when starting our day. A day entrusted to God is an entirely different kind of day. You will have a more positive perspective, through which you will walk with God’s company and support. He is the source of love and understanding, and He will understand everything you are going through. He will be your rock to whom you can hold.

Step 4: Do not read all the news

Learn to filter and screen excessive information. It is good to be informed and updated. However, it is not good to feel overloaded with pessimistic news and overwhelming events. Use the time to go for a walk and make the best out of it. Take deep breaths of clean air or play with your children. And whenever you read the news, read reliable sources.

Step 5: Seek professional help if you need it

What happens with other organs also happens with the brain: it gets tired, it gets sick, and it becomes unstable. If you feel that what is happening now in this pandemic exceeds the emotional tools you have to face and overcome stressful situations. Do not hesitate to seek professional help.

Mental health professionals are fully trained. They are able to provide people with the support, tools, and techniques they need to move forward. You will see that your mental and physical health will improve significantly.

Step 6: Help others

I will briefly tell you one story that caught my attention. Nieng, who lives in Cambodia, has suffered several tragedies in her life. In 1974, she was hurt by a bomb that exploded at an airport. A year later, her two children, her mother, and her husband died. In 2000, she lost her home and other possessions in a fire. And three years later, she lost her second husband. She reached a point when she thought about taking her own life.

Fortunately, Nieng found a way to cope with her situation. She also read the Bible. What she learned helped her in such a way that she wanted to share it with others. Her story confirms the findings of a study developed by British researchers in 2008: to deal with stress, you will have to “do things for others.” And this is a “piece of advice that was written a long time ago in the Bible” (Acts 20:35).

Nieng also took refuge in the hope of a better future, in which all the problems humanity has been eliminated and peace will fill the earth (Psalm 72:7,8).

She found a way to face her situation and move forward. You can do the same. When we take God’s hand, nothing is impossible for us. We will be able to face all difficult situations, even this pandemic.

My friend who is reading this post today,

I advise you to follow these steps so that you can move forward amid this situation we are facing today. Do you know any other way to face situations like the one we are living today and move forward?

Share it with us in the comments section. God bless you.

How do you develop your self-esteem?

by with No Comment Mental health

Why do we develop our self-esteem? How could this post change the course of your life?

How we feel about ourselves affects all aspects of our lives, including our job, love, or sex life, how we behave as parents, and how we relate to God.

The influence that events in life will have on us will depend on the way we see ourselves. This means that a person’s self-esteem can determine, to a great extent, his/her success or failure.

If you are not convinced yet of how important it is to learn and to grow in this area of your life, putting the biological problems aside, there is not one psychological difficulty, from anguish and depression, fear of being intimate or succeeding, alcohol or drug abuse, poor performance in school or job, to mistreating women or men, or raping children, sexual dysfunctions or emotional immaturity, even suicide or violent crimes, that cannot be attributed to low self-esteem (Nathaniel Branden). William James, a psychologist, said about self-esteem: mental distress frequently follows people who think they are insufficient and worthless.

Importance of the self-esteem

Now, after starting to understand the magnitude of the self-esteem problem, consider that 85 percent of the world’s population suffers from self-esteem related self-esteem-related problems. Seventy percent of the population has a poor concept of themselves, saying they are not good enough, ugly, or inadequate. Forty-five percent of men are not happy with their bodies.

Then, let us see what self-esteem is. It is the way you perceive yourself: “It is about the emotional part of your mind, it values the most intimate part of the self, your value as a person”, “It is the concept you have about yourself” -Brian Tracy.

In other words, as Branden said, self-esteem is the sum of confidence and respect for oneself.So, it reflects the implicit judgment each person makes about his/her ability to face challenges in life.

How do you develop your self-esteem?

How do we develop our self-esteem? This question is important because if we understand the root of how self-esteem forms, we can work on it more efficiently.

Self-esteem is developed from a very young age and never stops evolving, changing, improving, and even deteriorating. That is, it moves continuously. Besides, as a product of our sinful condition, it is not voluntary, spontaneous, or natural, but it originates from what each person experiences in life.

For example, when we are approximately five or six years old, we start shaping an idea of what being ourselves means. This idea will be influenced by the attachment style our primary caregivers develop with us. If they develop a secure attachment, we will feel loved, we will feel that we are special and have value. But, when our primary caregivers are not emotionally present to give us love or acceptance, we develop an insecure attachment. Thus, it leads us to feel unworthy, not validated, and, as a result, we lack self-worth.

Later, during adolescence, we start to value ourselves according to the relationships we are building with our parents and the cultural criteria in the beauty, value, and intellectual fields. And, when we get to adulthood, self-esteem is based on the life script we developed during our childhood and that may be shaping the course of our lives. This way, self-satisfaction or dissatisfaction grows, along with security and insecurity.

How do you know if you have positive self-esteem?

A person with positive self-esteem…

  1. Firmly believes in certain values and principles, and is willing to defend them.
  2. Does not waste time worrying excessively about what happened in the past or what might happen in the future.
  3. Fully trusts in his/her ability to solve his/her problems, without feeling intimidated by his/her failures or difficulties.
  4. As a person considers himself/herself and feels equal to others, not inferior, nor feelings superior, just equally dignified. The person acknowledges the differences and specific talents, professional prestige, or economic status.
  5. This person notes easily manipulated, although is willing to collaborate if it is convenient or appropriate.
  6. He or she is capable of enjoying several activities.
  7. This person is sensitive to other people’s feelings and needs, and respects generally accepted sound rules of coexistence. He or she also understands that he or she has no right to – nor wishes to – thrive or amuse at the expense of others.

How do you know if you have negative self-esteem?

A person who has low self-esteem has the following characteristics:

  • Rigorous self-criticism: tends to create a normal state of dissatisfaction towards himself/herself.
  • Hypersensitivity to criticism: he/she feels easily attacked and experiences stubborn resentments towards people who criticize them.
  • Chronic indecision: not due to the lack of information, but due to the exaggerated fear to be wrong.
  • Excessive desire to please people: it is hard for the person to say “no,” due to the fear of displeasing or losing the person’s benevolence.
  • Perfectionism: or demanding that they do things “perfectly,” no mistakes allowed in almost everything he/she does, which can lead the person to feel very bad when things do not turn out the perfection demanded.
  • Neurotic guiltiness: the person condemns himself/herself due to behaviors that are not always objectively bad, exaggerates the magnitude of his/her mistakes or offenses, and/or indefinitely regrets them, without fully forgiving himself/herself.
  • Floating hostility: they are irritable just above the surface, always about to explode, even due to things that are not important; characteristically found in supercritical people who think that everything is wrong, who dislike many things or everything upsets them. Nothing satisfies them.
  • Defensive tendencies: generalized negativity, everything is perceived as dark: his/her life, future, and, mainly, himself/herself. Poor generalized appetite for the joy of living and life itself.
  • Is critical of others: sometimes, a person who has low self-esteem may use criticism when things go wrong, especially when it comes to defending themselves in the face of an awkward situation, pretending to prove one’s innocence. It may even happen that the person with low self-esteem is unaware of his/her behavior. The person does not do these things with bad intentions.

What type of self-esteem do you think you have?

Have you thought about the way you see yourself? As we said before, the main value you must give yourself is the one that God has given you. Such a big value that He gave His only son to die in your place, so eternal life could be offered to you.

So, it does not matter if your family has sown doubts in you about your value as a person. It also does not matter if your friends or partner do not make you feel like an equal. It does not matter if your co-workers do not acknowledge your hard work or your value as a part of the workplace. You have immeasurable value before the eyes of God.

See the goodness in you, acknowledge your qualities, your good principles, and the knowledge you have. Value the good features of your personality, those good things you have inside you to offer. Look at yourself in the mirror and realize you are unique and have a purpose, goals, and dreams. Give yourself the value your Creator has given you, and you will be happy!

Have you done something that has helped you improve your self-esteem during your life? Share it with us in the comments section. It will help others improve their self-esteem to start their path to happiness and self-worth. God bless you.

The power of self-esteem

by with No Comment Mental health

Self-esteem is a fundamental human need. It cannot be minimized or annulled. It determines our ability to understand who we are in Jesus Christ and the potential we have if we discover our identity.

But sadly, our sinful state, the traumatic experiences we have lived through, and the influence of the genes we inherited from our parents have an impact on the way we see ourselves and how we think other people perceive us. In the end, the way you see yourself will determine your mental health, quality of life, and the respect others will give you.

A biblical story that show the power of self-esteem

Allow me to illustrate this with a biblical story: 

Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan and Saul’s grandchild, belonged to the royal family of Israel. He had a privilege other children did not. He was a prince of Israel. When he was eight years old, his grandfather and father died as the people of Israel were facing the Philistines.

When the king died in those battles, the royal family had to run because the enemy army would go after all the king’s descendants to kill them and eliminate the kingdom’s heir.

A soldier came to Jonathan’s house in Jezreel and announced that Saul and Jonathan had died in battle. When Mephibosheth’s wet nurse heard the message, she could only do one thing: take the child, who was five years old at that time, and run to the mountains. But something terrible happened. While she was running with the child in her arms through a rocky path, the child fell from her arms.

In those times, there were no scientific advances like the ones we have now and due to that fall. Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, the one who could have been Israel’s king, was now crippled, paralyzed from the waist down.

He depended on someone else to carry him. And he could only walk by using crutches that were made for him. His wet nurse’s mistake of dropping him had transformed his royal life into a cursed life.

The crippled child ended up in Lode bar, where he grew up and had the life of a cripple. Lodebar was where the beggars lived. Mephibosheth grew up, having fallen into oblivion.

A change of circumstances

One night, King David could not sleep and asked for one of his helpers and said to him: “Is there anyone left from Saul’s house, to whom I can show mercy for the love I have for my friend Jonathan?” The helper did not know if there was anyone left, but he said he knew Siba, Saul’s servant. They brought Siba to the king’s presence.

The king asked Siba, “Is there anyone left from Saul’s house, to whom I can show mercy for the love I have for my friend Jonathan?” Siba answered, “Yes, there is one left, his name is Mephibosheth.” Then, the king said, “Well, ask him to come to the palace.” Siba answered, “No, my king, he cannot come by himself, because he is crippled from the waist down, he needs to be carried, the same way he was taken to Lodebar.”

Then, the king asked Siba to take the royal carriage and find Mephibosheth. Siba took Mephibosheth to the palace and when he was with King David, he bowed and asked him, “Who is your servant, for you to look at a dead dog like me?” Mephibosheth did not feel any self-worth due to his past, his physical limitations, and his limiting beliefs.

David gave him back all the things that belonged to Saul, his grandfather, and also a place in his palace because of his love for Mephibosheth’s father, Jonathan.

“Every healthy person has self-esteem built on a base made of three components merged into another: the way he/she thinks, the way he/she feels, and how he/she acts.”

Mephibosheth’s thoughts were those of a beggar. He felt like a dog and acted like he was crippled, without any hope. As a result of his mental condition, he had deficiencies in his self-esteem.

What is self-esteem?

You may be asking yourself, what is self-esteem? It is the way you perceive yourself. Besides, it is about the emotional part of your mind, it measures the most intimate part of your being, meaning your value as a person. Keeping in mind that you are different and unique can allow you to turn off your inner voice, which resonates and leads you to compare yourself to others almost all the time.

It is sad to acknowledge that 85 percent of the world’s population suffers from self-esteem problems. This is an epidemic. The hardest part to understand about this reality is that you cannot achieve the potential for which you were created unless you grow in your efficiency and self-respect.

 Meditate in this story

Before dying, a father told his son:

“This is a watch your grandfather gave me, and it is over 200 years old. But before I give it to you, I ask you to go to the pawnshop on the first street and say that you want to sell it, and you will see how much it is worth.”

The son left and then came back and told his father: “The man from the store wants to pay five dollars because it is an old watch.” Then, the father said, “Go to the coffee house.” The son left and came back, and said: “They pay five dollars, father.”

Finally, the father told him, “Go to the museum and show them the watch.”

The son left and then came back and told his father, “They offered me a million dollars for the watch!”

Then, the father said, “I wanted to let you know that, in the right place, they will correctly know your VALUE, do not be in the wrong place, and do not get angry if they do not know your value. The person who knows your value is the one who appreciates you. Do not stay in a place that is not convenient for you.”

Know your value! God is the One who gives you the value you have, not the failures from your past.

Cultivate your self-esteem

Maybe life has crippled your soul, and you perceive yourself as inferior to the other, worthless. Maybe, you are believing the lies Satan has sowed in your life. He is making you believe that you cannot reach your goals because you are not good enough. Maybe your story is full of shame due to the life script your parents sowed in your childhood.

However, God is calling you to get out of that complex of inferiority and acknowledge the value you have before God and start living according to the abilities God has given you. Align your self-worth with the value God gives you. What can you do?

  • Accept yourself,
  • thank Him for holding you,
  • bury your negative past,
  • and believing in God’s truth,
  • live in His forgiveness,
  • take advantage of the things you learned from your mistakes,
  • and establish and positive relationships and projecting realistic goals for your life.

You cannot love others if you do not love yourself first. God is asking you, “Is there anyone left to whom I can show mercy for the love I have for my son Jesus Christ?” God wants to take you to His palace. He wants to take you out of:

  • your misery,
  • your inferiority complex,
  • limiting beliefs,
  • and existential paralysis,

So, He can bring you back to His palace to sit at the King of Kings and Lord of Lords’ table. Today is your day to come back to the palace. I ask you today, what practices or habits have led you to grow in your self-esteem? Share your answer with us in the comments section. God bless you.

What is a mental disorder?

by with No Comment Mental health

So, Let’s continue developing this very important topic. The first thing I want to do today defines what mental health is, to understand what is a mental disorder. The Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines it as follows:

Therefore, mental Health is how a person thinks, feels, and, acts when facing life situations. Mental health is the way people look at themselves, their lives, and the other people in their lives; the way they evaluate their challenges and problems; and explore their options. It includes managing stress, relating to other people, and making decisions (2006).

We know that now many people suffer from some type of mental disorder, produced by several causes.

Do we know what mental disorders are?

Mental disorders are sustained emotional, cognitive, and/or behavioral alterations in which psychological processes such as emotion, motivation, cognition, consciousness, behavior, perception, sensation, learning, language, and others are affected. These symptoms make it difficult for the person to adapt to the cultural and social environment in which they live.

The American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) released a report in August titled “Beyond the Perfect Storm: How Racism, COVID-19, and Economic Meltdown Imperil Our Mental Health“. The report highlights that 40 percent of Americans have anxiety and depression.

Thus, if we compare these figures with the ones of 2019, we will see that only eight percent of adults had symptoms of mental anxiety disorders and six percent of depression. We are suffering from mental disorders like never before in history, and the numbers are increasing. By the end of 2020, it is estimated that 103 million adults in the United States will suffer from some form of mental health disorder. And, this is only taking into account the United States, imagine the number of people who are suffering from the same mental illnesses worldwide.

Then, the most common mental disorders worldwide are depression with 264 million people, bipolar disorders, with 45with million, dementia with 50 million, and schizophrenia and other psychoses affecting 20 million. Besides, 1 in 160 children in the world has an autism spectrum disorder.

How do we know that behavior show a mental disorder?

This is a very complex question to answer in the short space I have on this blog, but I will try to give you some guidelines in this regard. Some great authors in history have written about what is normal in the human being. For example:

  1. Freud: normality is an ideal fiction. Mental health is the ability to live and work.
  2. Eissler: It is impossible to achieve absolute normality because the normal person must be completely aware of his/her thoughts and feelings.
  3. Klein: Normality is determined by the strength of character, the ability to face emotional conflicts, the ability to experience pleasure without conflict, and the ability to love.
  4. Menninger: normality is the ability to successfully adapt to the outside world and handle the acculturation process.

Although these great psychologists tried to define what is normal, other experts argue that abnormal behavior cannot be defined so concisely (Bennett, 2011) because numerous factors affect the evaluation of abnormal behaviors, including social and cultural standards, and biases.

Normality and a mental disorder

Now, let us look at the concept of normality and abnormality from the physical health perspective and diseases. Some time ago, I went to the doctor’s office because I had a 102 F fever, I could not swallow normally, and my throat was sore. After the check-up, the doctor determined I had bacteria. Then a blood test confirmed that there was something abnormal in my body. These signs of disease were objective and easy to diagnose with blood tests or X-rays.

But, when we try to define what is normal and abnormal on a psychological level, it is more complicated than we imagine because everything is very subjective. The mental health professional does not have a blood test or X-rays, or CT scans available to diagnose abnormal behaviors in a patient. He depends on clinical judgments that are influenced to some extent by different factors beyond his control.

How does a mental disorder manifest?

Millon (1969), to define normal from abnormal, grouped mental disorders into four different categories.

  • First, physiological processes are the primary determinants of psychopathologies.
  • Second, psychological factors determine abnormal psychological behaviors.
  • Third, he talks about the unique experience and perception of each individual, and how that perception is lived.
  • Finally, the learning process through reinforcement forms the pathology in the individual.

The first manifestation of the psychological factors of mental disorders in an individual is usually some type of disturbance. It could include anxiety, depression, anger, or some other kind of suffering that is emotional or psychological rather than physical.

Thus, the second manifestation is a deterioration in the person’s ability to function: inability to achieve goals, difficulty managing day-to-day routines, maintaining a job, or having a clear conversation. People with phobias, personality disorders, or deep depression would be examples. The distressed individual is in danger of harming himself/herself or others (Collins, 2006).

The third manifestation is a behavior that is not acceptable to society. Finally,, if the individual does not receive professional care, his/her life could be in danger, or, depending on the disorder he/she has, the lives of the people around him/her could be in danger.

Common symptoms of a mental disorder

So, if you think that you or someone you know may be dealing with these problems, a book called Behind the Masks is a helpful resource. Hence, here are some common signs and symptoms that are potentially indicative of mental disorders:

  • Social withdrawal and loss of interest in relationships with others.
  • Intensifying conflict and the difficulty interacting normally with others.
  • Unusual reduction in functioning at work, school, church, and/or community activities.
  • Problems with concentration, memory, confusion, and cognitive processing.
  • Loss of initiative or desire to participate in normal and/or enjoyable activities.
  • Marked changes in sleep patterns and/or appetite.
  • Rapid or dramatic changes in emotions or “mood swings.”
  • Deterioration in personal hygiene.
  • Excessive and/or unexplained fears, suspicions, worries, and anxieties.
  • Numerous vague or ambiguous physical complaints and ailments.
  • Intense and prolonged feelings of sadness, nervousness, irritability, or anger.
  • Progressive inability to cope with daily stress and tension.
  • Increased sensitivity to sensory stimuli such as vision, sounds, smells, or touch.
  • Strange behavior, thoughts, and/or beliefs.
  • Vague or specific comments about hopelessness, apathy, despair, and/or suicide.

We must always be attentive to these types of signs, both in ourselves and in those around us, because a mental disorder treated early in its development will not constitute an obstacle for the person to have a full life.

Do you know someone who suffers from a mental disorder? Do you identify with any of these signs? What other consequences do you know mental disorders can produce? Leave us your comment in the comments section, so we can demystify this very important topic.

10 Myths and Stigmas About Mental Health

by with One Comment Mental healthUncategorized

Many stigmas revolve around the issue of mental health and those who suffer from mental health disorders. As a society, we tend to ignore and even reject what is a difficult topic for us to face. Mental illnesses are one of those topics. How much do we know about mental health? Do we know people who suffer from loneliness or abandonment due to a mental condition?

In addition to genetics, the day-to-day stress that our society currently imposes has become a trigger for imbalances on a psychological level. It has allowed the perfect substrate to develop for mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, chronic stress, agoraphobia, and others to manifest.

Our society and mental health

The issue of mental health and mental illnesses is so misunderstood on a social levmembersel that a person who suffers from them is stigmatized. But to understand this phenomenon, let’s first look at what social stigma means in the psychological sphere.

Regarding mental illnesses, stigma is the label applied to the individual who suffers from any of them, which generates negative reactions from the human being, as they can lose self-confidence, faith in their recovery, and the ability to lead a normal life. This is caused by being constantly identified as “schizophrenic,” “autistic,” or “depressive,” among other labels according to their illness, leading to constant insecurity in the human being’s personality, and creating a feeling of disability.

Mental health and stigmas

Due to the stigmas that surround the person whose mental health has been affected, that person suffers from social rejection involving their work, church, and family life.

We know stories about people whose family members still do not know what their diagnosis implies, and who do not even show interest in knowing it or in how they can help their family members feel better or face the illness.

As we said earlier, there is the misconception that a person who has a mental illness should be referred to a mental asylum or a psychiatric clinic, when, in fact, there are treatments that balance brain chemicals that affect mental health. There are even supportive therapies, group therapies, and other tools to achieve this end.

10 myths about mental health

Social stigma labels do not help the patient feel better. Of course, having the diagnosis gives the patient a feeling of “finally” knowing what he/she is suffering from, and being able to name the set of symptoms they are suffering from. But if said the diagnosis is not treated, the chances of that person suffering from ridicule or misunderstanding increase due to social stigmas.

  1. Mental illnesses are not common

More and more people are being diagnosed with a mental illness, and modern life involves high levels of stress and complexity that did not exist in the past. One in five people will manifest a mental illness at some point in their life.

  1. If the person works harder, the symptoms can disappear

Not all mental illnesses have the same treatment. It all depends on the causes, symptoms, and general condition of the person. But if the person tries harder, the symptoms will not disappear. Mental illnesses are real illnesses, as we said in earlier posts, the brain is an organ, and as such, it also becomes ill.

  1. Anyone with a mental illness needs treatment

Treatment depends on the type of illness that affects the individual’s mental health. Some will need medication, others, group therapy, while therapies of another kind will help others. Generalizations in these cases do not apply.

  1. There is nothing we can do to help someone with mental illness

There is a lot we can do for people with mental illnesses. Our support and understanding are of great value to the treatment and improvement of people whose mental health has been affected. Not judging, listening intently, not treating the person differently, and asking questions before giving any opinions can make a difference in the patient’s life.

  1. People who suffer from a mental illness are not able to work

Mental illnesses, when treated correctly, do not constitute an impediment to carrying out work activities. Many people with depression, anxiety, and even agoraphobia can have normal lives when they are treated successfully. There are cases in which the illness is very serious, and the person must stop working. But they are extreme cases of mental health impairment.

  1. Children suffering from mental illnesses are “damaged” for life

When a child has a mental illness, he/she can be treated with the techniques the case requires. Besides, that child can have his/her mental health restored. The earlier in the child’s life the disease is treated, the more the child can enjoy a full and happy life.

  1. Mental illnesses are the result of poor parenting

There are genetic factors that affect a person’s mental health. The way parents raise a child cannot be blamed entirely for the symptoms of mental illnesses. In this case, parenting plays an important role in exacerbating symptoms. Or on the contrary, being a base of support and understanding for the improvement of the child.

  1. Having a mental illness is a sign of weakness

There is no such thing as “mental strength” in the context of mental illnesses. A person does not develop a mental illness because he/she is “weak”. Mental “strength” is not the same as mental “health”. Many people affected by mental health are people who show strengths and great aptitudes in other areas of mental performance.

  1. People with mental illnesses are violent

We believe that mental illnesses are related to shootings or terrorist acts. These acts that we see on the news occur more and more frequently. But there are mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and autism, among others, in which there are no symptoms of aggressiveness or violence at all. Statistics show that only 7.5 percent of crimes are associated with people with mental illnesses.

     10. Therapy is for adults only

Contrary to common belief, therapy is also useful for children with mental health problems. Therapies for children have an age-appropriate approach. They provide children with tools to cope with and manage their diagnoses. As well as, they provide emotional tools for parents and family members, giving them a safe and supportive environment for their development as individuals.

As Christians, we must be a source of support and understanding for people suffering from mental illnesses. Stigmas should not be part of our vocabulary or our actions. Specialty, when we address or interact with people who have mental illnesses.

Do you know anyone who has a mental illness? Do you have a mental illness diagnosis? If so, have you gotten the much-needed support from your family, church, or friends? Which other ways do you recommend giving support to someone who has a mental illness? Leave us your comment, so we can make our contribution to making this topic better known in our society. And so we can be a source of support for people who need it.

Mental illness: an invisible enemy

by with No Comment Mental healthSelf-awareness

Many people with mental illness are suffering discrimination in our churches because we are not prepared to deal with the silent disease.

A few years ago, when I was returning from Tennessee from my daughter Jasmin’s graduation, Samuel’s (my youngest son) car had a noise in one of the tires. That noise had already been there for several weeks now, and he said that the noise was coming from one of the half-loose fenders.

Samuel would try to adjust it a bit, and then the noise would be quieter. As we were heading back to Miami, it was late, around 10:00 P.M. we were driving down the deserted road of I75 when we suddenly heard a high-pitched noise and the rear tire blew out.

I quickly managed to pull the car to the side of the road and, to my surprise, we discovered that the fender was not the problem. When we removed the wheel to put the spare on, we understood what the source of the noise was: the rear tire was damaged, and we did not know it. It looked fine from our point of view.

What’s more, it had only been a year since I had put four new tires on the car.  The problem was in a non-visible area. We had been driving a time bomb, thinking that the noise we were hearing was coming from another source.

The problem that I had with my tire is an example of how many problems human beings have behaved. Conflicts are a time bomb because we are not aware of the magnitude of the situation. Unless you discover the source, you cannot be safe from the repercussions of that problem.

Mental illness is a growing problem

Today, I want to talk to you about something that is making noise in our society. And many do not know where that sound is coming from or how to approach the problem. I have called this noise the invisible disease. Invisible, because it is not talked about, and it is not seen with the naked eye.

There is a stigma around this disease, which has led many people to hide their heads like ostrich in the sand. We will not know how to deal with it, either. I am talking about mental illnesses: this week we will be discussing crisis, mental health, and Christ on this blog. My goal with this week’s posts is to raise awareness of these diseases. I want to provide practical tools to address the invisible disease in your community.

Studies about mental illness

Recently, there has been more awareness in our society about the importance of helping people suffering from mental illnesses. Many are advocating for this condition, especially authors Fuller Torrey and Judy Miller. In their book, “The Invisible Plague,” they say:

Imagine an epidemic that does not quickly kill a large percentage of those affected, but slowly kills 15% by suicide. Besides, imagine an epidemic so insidious and insinuating that two centuries after it began, it is hardly noticeable, mixed in the fabric of people’s lives, that a few intelligent people even deny that the disease exists. Imagine an epidemic that affects more than 4 million Americans, most of them in their prime of life, and that will continue to affect more than one in every 100 people born, but is not recognized as a major public health problem and it is largely ignored by officials who oversee the nation’s health. This is the epidemic of mental illnesses” (Pages 2-3).

This was written in 2001. If they saw mental illnesses as a growing social epidemic in this country at that time, then this crisis is currently at astronomical proportions. You have no idea what statistics we have today. The problem is that if this plague is increasing in our society, it will also increase in our religious circles.

Statistics of mental illness

The church is the first place where people with problems go seeking refuge. But, when they arrive, many times the leaders do not know how to deal with these problems due to the stigmas and the lack of information. Let us look at some statistics:

  • Every year, 1 in 5 people in America suffers from a mental illness (NAMI).
  • Between 15-25% of the population will suffer from a mental illness at some point in their life.
  • 59% of pastors have counseled someone who has experienced a mental illness at some point.
  • 27% of people who attend church on Saturday are dealing with mental illnesses, either themselves or their family members (Rogers, Stanford, Garland. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 2011).
  • 22% of pastors are reluctant to get involved with those with acute mental illnesses, due to previous experiences wasting their time and resources.
  • 23% of pastors indicate that they have personally been struggling with some kind of mental illness.
  • 49% of pastors rarely speak of mental illnesses in their sermons.
  • 90% of pastors, 74% of individuals with an acute mental illness, and 85% of their family members agree that local churches have the responsibility to provide resources and support to people with mental illnesses and their families (LifeWay Research, 2014).

These statistics reflect a stigma that exists in our church. We can talk without any trouble about cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, cancer, and, hepatitis. But when diseases of the brain come up, we remain silent because of the taboo that exists around this topic.

Mental illness is Taboo

I recently spoke with a friend I made at a conference. And he told me that at one point in his life, he experienced a very acute trauma. He sought professional help and was diagnosed with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. With tears in his eyes, he told me he could not continue with his treatment. Because the administrators of my organization and his co-workers were going to find out about his diagnosis. He did not want his image to be affected and decided to suffer in silence.

A brother from church came to me and said: “I want to divorce my wife because she has a mental illness and. Due to the life that I have lived with her, I believe that I have the right to divorce her and marry someone else.”

“If your wife had cancer instead of a brain disease, would you have divorced her?” I asked him.

And he said “no,” that mental illnesses are different, and that there is no one who can stand a person with this type of mental condition.

As Christians, we are called to accept marginalized or stigmatized people. But many people find this a difficult task to do, especially when it involves people who are mentally ill.

The silence disease

Many people with emotional problems are suffering discrimination in our churches because, as pastors and leaders, we are not prepared to deal with the silent disease. That reaction is often the product of fear and lack of knowledge about it. God calls us to love our neighbor the same way we love ourselves (Mt. 22:36-40). That neighbor may be a church brother or sister. Maybe, he sits next to us and secretly suffers from a silent illness.

I ask you, have you ever felt marginalized or discriminated against due to a mental disorder that you have experienced? I invite you to share your experience with me. Write it in the comments section and help me eliminate the stigma that exists around mental illnesses.