Mental Illness and the Church

Darkness Is My Only Companion: A Christian Response to Mental Illness by Kathryn Greene-McCreight
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

One woman's journey through depression and bipolar disorder. Mental illness seems to be a taboo subject in the Christian community; those who struggle with it don't tend to share their experiences as it seems to hold a stigma. Then there are the platitudes "you just need to pray more" or "trust God to heal you". There are medical reasons behind mental illness just as there are behind physical illness. The church needs to be aware of the issue of mental illness and how to support those who struggle with this. This book shares this woman's story - the medications, the hospitalizations, the therapy. There is nothing to be ashamed of with a mental illness. It is an illness just like any physical infirmity. We need to no longer be silent on this issue.

*Got this book through my local library

I myself have a mental illness - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). I am on medication to keep it under control. It took me a while to be willing to even try medication, partly due to the stigma among Christian circles. Yet being on medication for my OCD has changed my life and allowed me to live normally. This is an issue close to my heart because of how it affects me personally.