In my recent survey about application and what pastors talked about, I asked respondents to indicate whether or not they’d heard pastors address particular issues within the last 5 years. One issue concerned mental health. This is such an important subject to address within our churches because as we preach and pastor we are so… Continue reading When did you last hear a pastor talk about mental health issues?
Tag: anxiety
Pastoral care of the COVID-19 anxious
What should we be doing about those people who are still extremely anxious about COVID and it is having a significant affect on their ability to participate in the life of the church and indeed other aspects of family and community life? My view is that we are now moving into a season when a… Continue reading Pastoral care of the COVID-19 anxious
Three anxieties
Is it a sin to be anxious or is it simply a mental health condition that you don’t have control over? I’ve heard both extremes. In the church we often emphasis the former whilst it is increasingly the norm to hear people saying “I have anxiety” and using that as a reason not to be… Continue reading Three anxieties
Facing Depression – When healing does not seem to come
Is it all in the mind?
“The body keeps the score” is the title of a book by Bessel Van Der Kolk about mental health and the affects of trauma. We sometimes describe particular health conditions as “all in the mind.” At one level, what we might simply mean by that is that we cannot find a specific and direct organic… Continue reading Is it all in the mind?
Sleep and mental health
One factor affecting mental health is rest and sleep. There are two aspects to this. First of all, when we are struggling with anxiety and/or depression this can affect sleep patterns but also disrupted sleep is likely to affect our overall sense of mental well-being. So, it is possible to get into a vicious cycle. … Continue reading Sleep and mental health
Facing Depression – How can I help you?
Facing Depression – you are not alone
Another audio file exploring what it means to face depression
Facing Depression – Suicidal thoughts
Suicide, suicidal thoughts and the desire to flee and hide. Plus a response to the suggestion that suicide is the unforgivable sin
Anxiety
I’ve written before on Faithroots about depression and have recently contributed to a book on the subject. Here I want to talk about another aspect of mental health sometimes linked to depression. When I was signed off sick by my GP I was diagnosed with Mixed Anxiety and Depressive Disorder (no the anachronym for that… Continue reading Anxiety
