Breaking the Stigma, One Person at a Time

Many times, whenever you are encountering everyday conversations, you may hear a well meaning person say: “That’s so bipolar,” or, “She’s psychotic!” To a person who is mentally ill, that might as well be the equivalent of someone who is wheel chaired bound with MS being laughed at. Whether you are mentally ill or not, whenever you hear the jokes break the stigma. You can do this in a positively constructive way by politely stating that a mentally ill person is worthy of respect, and such comments are very degrading. If the person truly cares, they will consider your words. It may be an eye opener for them, so take courage and speak up! By doing this you are breaking the stigma, one person at a time.

Albert Einstein, a brilliant genius of the 20th century, had bipolar. 

You Are a Masterpiece

This blog is dedicated for those who suffer with mental illnesses. Although I am not a doctor or a counselor that is able to give any professional medical advice, I am a Christian, and my blog’s purpose is to encourage those with mental illnesses. Because of the nature of this blog, please do not share any personal information including: where you live, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, FB accounts and last names. This will ensure the privacy of individuals. My name is Jennifer, and I welcome you!

Did you know that you are a masterpiece? God created you the way He did with a very unique purpose in mind for you. In His economy, there are NO such things as mistakes. However, because of the fallen world that we live in, we still are born into sin and therefore suffer its consequences. This includes people who have physical disabilities, and just as well, mental. Because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for us, we are given the opportunity to accept Him as our Savior after we ask Him to forgive our sins. Romans 10:9 states, “That if we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in our hearts that He has risen from the dead, then we are saved.” Then, and only then, with Christ in our hearts are we able to fulfill our lives’ purpose.

In 2007, I was diagnosed as having bipolar 1 schizo-effective disorder. I was released from the hospital after a two week stay. It took one year to get on the right medications and to become stabilized. There were many ups and downs that have followed, and continue to today. Christ has been my Rock, and my family, my support. Christ can help you, too, overcome any obstacle facing you. Remember this for today: There is NO shame in having a mental disability! God bless you.

Learning to be Still

Here lately, a Scripture verse that keeps coming to my attention is Psalm 46:10 which says: “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations.” Be still…..what does that look like? It seems that at this point in my life, things are slowing down for me whenever I “attempt” to take action on things. I’m so used to “doing” that I really haven’t taken the time to discover who I am in Christ. Every new person that I meet asks me, “What do you do?” Well, let’s see. I’m not a housewife or a mom, and because of panic attacks, I cannot hold down a full-time job. But God is good. I’m beginning to learn that my worth is not tied to what I can or cannot do. Accomplishments and goals can become idols if we are not careful. God simply asks us to do our very best with what He has given us. He wants us to be still in the love that He showers upon us, and He asks us to love Him in return by obeying His commandments. When we put aside distractions to spend one-on-one time with a Heavenly Father that’s crazy about us, that is what I’m discovering, it means to be still.

Beware of Wolves

Jesus warns us of false prophets in Matthew 7:15-“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” (NKJV) Today, I want to talk to you about t.v. evangelists who promise a “breakthrough,” for your life if you call in for prayer and make a donation. These so called “preachers” are concerned only with lining their own pockets. They mainly prey on four types of people: the elderly, the naive, the greedy, and the mentally ill. Ask me how I know? I had to learn the hard way.

A few years before my diagnosis, I would regularly call a certain “ministry” for prayer and send them money. The ministry would then send convincing letters encouraging me that I would be greatly blessed financially if I would continue to fund them. They would also send frequent prayer request forms promising a “breakthrough” for me. One day, I went online and saw a picture of this ministry’s facility with police vehicles surrounding it. The article that followed told of how the minister and his family had abused the received funds by extravagant shopping sprees and other outlandish personal purchases. That day, I learned three valuable lessons: 1.) Trust Jesus for your breakthrough and not man, 2.) Tithe and give to your own church, and 3.) If you feel led to fund a ministry, do your own homework by checking out whether they have accountability standards.

Let Matthew 6:24 guide you- “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (money).” Remember this: God has already richly blessed you, whether with a family, time, a job, friends, a home, and maybe even a savings account. Listen for Jesus’s direction only, and be sure to thank Him daily for your blessings.

If God is Silent, He is Still Moving!

For the longest time, I’ve struggled personally with what God has wanted to do with my life. I’d attempted to become a PTA, and was even accepted into the school’s program. I ended up failing the program by a few points. So I tried again. The second time was the final time that I could try out. Then it happened. I ended up in a psychiatric ward for a couple of weeks, and fell behind in my classes. Mentally, I could not proceed in the program. I cried out to God the famous question that many people ask whenever their life falls apart: “God WHY?” Frustrations mounted for several years. God still seemed silent. I struggled on and off with bitterness…(the why’s kept coming) “God ,why can’t I be happily married like my friends and have children? Why couldn’t I even have the ability to hold a secretarial job, when it seemed like so many other women could multi-task?” (I have panic attacks) I’m finally learning, that God is a faithful God. He has been so good to me. And, as Dr. Tony Evans a minister in Dallas once preached, “Just because God is silent, does not mean that He is still!” So whatever hardships you are now encountering, please take heart in the fact that God loves you, and He has a wonderful plan for your life. That plan is fulfilled day by day, as you listen to Jesus, and step out in faith obeying what He asks you to do. He knows your struggles with your mental disabilities, and what’s even better, is the fact that He cares!  1 John 3:21-24

The Importance of Taking Your Medication

Taking your prescribed medication, is imperative to your overall well-being. You cannot take it sometimes, feel good, and then decide to stop taking it. This lands many people back in the hospital. It’s OK to have to have medications for your mental health. Some church people or well-meaning friends may say, “If you prayed harder, you can be healed,” or “If you have enough faith,” you can stop taking your medicine. God does heal, but sometimes He chooses to heal through doctors and medication. Take a diabetic, for instance. He/She has to take their insulin. No one would tell a diabetic that if they prayed harder they would be healed. If someone breaks their leg, no one would tell them that they could be healed if they had enough faith. That person would go to the ER where God has placed doctors and nurses to help them heal. This goes the same for people with mental disabilities. It is also wise to listen to your psychiatrist over how to take your medications. I once had a family doctor who told me that I could stop taking my medications for my bi-polar and be okay. He said that I should instead, read his recommended book, and educate myself about my illness. While it is beneficial to educate yourself on your illness, you should only listen to your psychiatrist whenever it comes to your mental health. He is supposed to be the expert in the mental health field. A few years back, I attended a Women of Faith Conference, where Sheila Walsh was the guest speaker. Sheila takes medication for a mental illness. I liked what she had to say: “If I have to take medication for my mental health until I get to Heaven, then I am fine with that.”