Friday, December 14, 2012

Mental Illness, or Something Else?

There are a lot of questions that arise from an incident like today's shooting in Connecticut.  The biggest ones are very naturally "Why?" and "What went wrong in a person to cause them to do such a thing?"

I've seen "mental illness" used a lot today as a possible answer.  I recognize that mental illness exists, and that chemical imbalances are sometimes present in the human brain, and that modern medicine can sometimes help to correct these imbalances.  So let me start there, by saying that I'm not discounting the existence of such things, I recognize that our culture discourages talking about it and seeking help, and I'm not eliminating medicine as a solution either.

But what about "normal" negative emotions, even when they're intense?  Do these emotions all arise from mental illness: anger, hate, frustration, bitterness, jealousy, disappointment, anguish?  If not, then where do they come from, and what purpose do they serve? Are they ever constructive or useful?

What about these emotions: love, peace, happiness, contentment, joy?  Are these normal, or are they caused by a faulty chemical imbalance?  If we believe that a normal range of emotions is not caused by mental illness, but are the product of a correctly functioning mind, then are they beneficial or can they be distracting at best, and destructive at worst?  Put another way, do they usually help us to be productive or cause us to act foolishly and then make mistakes in our decisions (even the good emotions, when in excess)?

Now, if they seem "normal", but by and large they cause us to not think clearly and act logically, then can they be caused by evolution?  Why or how?  The desire to mate/procreate certainly seems logical for promoting and continuing the human species, but why emotions?


Here is the point to asking all of these questions - I believe that the presence of emotions and the wide range in which they are exhibited helps to demonstrate the presence of a "soul" in humans.

Now, if we as humans have a soul, then that could very well mean that there is a dimension of life that is spiritual in nature, but we cannot see.  Not only do I believe such a realm exists, but I think most if not all of us have been made innately aware that there is at least one being who is present in it, who is responsible for providing these positive emotions - God.

If we can easily look at our positive emotions and credit them as being generated by a God who most people can easily understand and believe to be good, then where do the negative emotions come from?


Here is the main point:  So many people have no problem whatsoever agreeing with the concept of God, and even "guardian angels".  If you can fathom the existence of a soul though, and we can agree that a spiritual dimension to life exists, and there is a positive aspect to it (God) - then why must we discount any and all evidence of evil around us as "mental illness", instead of at least considering the possibility that an instigator of evil could possibly exist?

And finally, if any or all of this makes sense, and you're willing to consider that there is a negative spiritual influence that could be causing the negative emotions that we not only see around us, but also feel in our own heart and mind to some extent (hate, anger, jealousy, bitterness, etc), then I would encourage you to read and consider what the Bible has to say about them. This could be a good start (see link).


teacheroftwos said...

I have a son who is considered emotionally disturbed. He has anxiety issues, depression and sometimes anger/frustration. Although he is on medication and attends an emotional disturbed special needs school, I don't feel that he is possessed by demons. I do believe he has a chemical imbalance in his brain that developed at a very early age due to some tramaic events that occurred. I do believe that the devil had a part in this and that it was an attempt to kill, steal and destroy my family. I do believe that as his parent it is my job to prayer, seek medical help when needed and to protect my son as much as I can. And I do my best because I also believe he is a child of God who was created for a purpose and not evil. As a matter of fact I believe we were all created for good, but unfortunately when there are two intieties, one good and one bad, the good cannot always win. This is where we as Christians need to continue to fight the good fight and keep our hearts guarded.

michael said...

Thanks for the good comment Sarah. These are definitely tough issues that can't always, if ever, be easily identified as caused by one thing or another.

Are any and all flaws and poor behavior caused by "demons", or poor decisions, or just a mental/chemical imbalance? What about our upbringing - what aspect does that contribute (punishment, reward, encouragement, etc)? Some people also seem naturally predisposed to question authority and/or rebel against it. I know I was.

I love your response though - to see him as a child of God and continue to do your best and approach the issues from all fronts (prayer, medicine, correction, etc).

So many people though refuse to even consider the possibility of negative spiritual influences though, and that's the position that I was trying to explain.

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