I spoke to someone who has several years been resisting both the medical and psychological help suggested to her by trained doctors and counselors. She explained that her struggle with accepting these forms of treatment lies in her belief that if she were truly a Christian then she wouldn’t need them. She felt as though it would reflect a lack of faith to allow medicine and/or psychoanalysis to treat her. And so she feels guilty. Should she feel this way? What is a Christian perspective on these issues?
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A CHRISTIAN ANTHROPOLOGY
A Christian view of anthropology is that we are a body-soul (psycho-somatic) unity. psuche and soma are the Greek words for soul and body. This is to say that we have a dual nature. We have a material (body—including the brain) and immaterial (soul—including intellect, will, emotions, etc.) reality to us. And we also believe that when sin entered the world through humanity’s original rebellion (Gen 3), the effects of humanity’s sin touched every part of our person (body and soul). Therefore, a fully biblical anthropology includes a body-soul unity which, while created as good by God, has become depraved, marred, and broken. And this brokenness extends to all features and faculties of our humanness.Â
You might think I’m being redundant, but I’m trying to drive a very important point home. When we are sick in the body, most of us don’t have a theological problem with going to the doctor. If my appendix were to burst I wouldn’t give it a moments thought before allowing the doctors to give me the necessary pain medication in order to remove my appendix. And after the surgery, I would be rather upset if the doctors failed to prescribe for me the appropriate antibiotics along with any other needed medication for my body’s health.
However, why is it that anyone using the above reasoning would then refuse the necessary medical and/or psychological treatment for another part of the body (e.g., the brain) or the soul (e.g., the mind)? It is no more a lack of faith to take the appropriate medicine for one part of the body (e.g., the brain) as another (the appendix). Likewise, it is no more a lack of faith to take the appropriate medicine for one part of our humanness (the soul) as another (the body).Â
LIVING IN BETWEEN
We are informed by Scripture that the perfection of creation which was lost (as recorded in Genesis) will one day be restored in the new heavens and the new earth (as recorded in Revelation). Meanwhile, we are living in between these two bookends. We will never experience perfection in our bodies or minds while we are on this side of eternity. In fact, as has been said, we will each die of our last disease. After a certain point our bodies begin to fall apart and our minds become less lucid. None of us will get out this life alive. And none of us will live without the experience (in some degree or another) of illness in our persons (body & soul). Our whole persons—body and soul—are fallen and in need of transformation and redemption.Â
WHAT SHOULD WE DO THEN?
What should we do then? Instead of incorrectly believing that we have some secret sin in our lives, or that we must not have enough faith, we must respond in a God-honoring manner. First, we should be obedient to God and pray for His healing. We are instructed to approach God in prayer asking for healing, all the time recognizing that (1) we can make no demands upon Him; (2) all our request are subject to His will; and (3) there are no guarantees of absolute healing in this life. Second, we should utilize the gifts which God has given to those created in His image. We should seek out trained professionals (like medical doctors and psychologists) who have applied their God-given abilities to the task of understanding God’s world. This, I believe, is a thoughtful and God-honoring approach to living in between “creation lost†and “creation restored.â€
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
1. Is it possible to rely upon drugs too much in the treatment of psychological issues?
2. Are there other reasons why Christians feel guilty for using medical or psychological help?
3. What suggestions would you make to someone who is struggling with guilt over this issue?
2 Comments on “Why are some Christians afraid of psychological help?”
I think Christians fear Psychology because we feel that we should be able to control our minds and emotions. Whether psychological issues come about because of a true organic psychosis or trauma in their lives that they are dealing with, it is no more disgraceful to have such issues than it is to deal with a medical problem. People feal guilty because of a few reasons:
a.) It’s never black and white
b.) It can manifest over a long time and suddenly blow up in your life
c.) It can affect those you love
d.) It means change
e.) It makes people feel alone/like they’re the only ones who have dealt with such things
As you mentioned above, Brent, from the time in Genesis when the world fell, we became susceptible to physical and psychological problems. But more than that, living in a world full of sin, there are people who do heinous things to others and cause severe psychological damage; their are traumatic incidences in people’s lives that can take a severe psychological toll on them.
For those people facing these issues, my heart says this: God would never want you to feel guilt. You may have had to face a difficult situation to come to the realization you have come to in order to want to get help, but never doubt God’s hand in it. He will speak into your life through people. Just as he gives amazing medical ability to medical doctors, he entrusts many good people in our community to speak into people’s lives. Yes, be picky and seek a good fit for you. But there is no shame. Pray without ceasing, because you’re never alone.
Thank you Brent for addressing this hot button topic! It breaks my heart how so many Christians are afraid of seeking counseling, and the huge stigma that is placed on those who struggle with all froms of mental illness and psychological troubles! The brain is so complex with so many factors that play into psychological distress. Each one of those factors needs to be addressed by anyone who has a desire to treat themselves as God’s sacred temple(1 Corinthians 3: 16-17). Both the mental, the biological, and the spiritual aspects need to be addressed. Many times a person may struggle to connect with God because of the biologically based mental illness that they fight, the simple act of getting medical treatment in combination with counseling can physically rewire the brain so that the person can grow in relationship with God. To seek help in psychological issues from the professional community may be the very thing that allows God to bring complete healing, and victory in your life.