Category Archives: stigma
Schizophrenia: Our Opportunity to Love
Do you know someone who seems like he or she has “lost touch” with reality? Does this person talk about “hearing voices” no one else can? Does he or she see or feel things no one else can? Does this person believe things that aren’t true? Sometimes people with these symptoms have schizophrenia, a serious [...]
Tourette Syndrome: Know The Basics
“Dropping F Bombs” ******* Tourette’s disorder, or Tourette syndrome (TS) as it is frequently called, is a neurologic syndrome. The essential feature of Tourette’s are multiple tics that are sudden, rapid, recurrent, non-rhythmic, stereotypical, purposeless movements or vocalizations. What are the symptoms of Tourette syndrome? Both multiple motor and one or more vocal [...]
Schizophrenia for Dummies
Understanding the World of the Schizophrenic Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that has affected people throughout history. About 1 percent of Americans have this illness. People with the disorder may hear voices other people don’t hear. They may believe other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to [...]
The Stigma of Mental Illness (or, we found dog poop in the living room!)
One out of five Americans will experience a mental disorder during their lifetime. But, people can get better. With proper treatment, most people with a mental illness recover quickly, and the majority do not need hospital care, or have only brief admissions. Mental illness has traditionally been surrounded by community misunderstanding, fear, and stigma. Stigma [...]
1 in 4 Church Homes Deal with Mental Illness
By Carlene Hill Byron How many families in your church have a loved one who struggles with mental health problems? That’s kind of a trick question. People don’t talk about mental health problems. You’re more likely to hear them describe their child’s condition as “something like autism,” as the elder of one church we know [...]
When It Hurts Bad, He Will Come to You
When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Mark 10:47 What a gritty, hard life Bartimaeus lived. How terribly desperate and lost he must have felt. He has spent years and years without any real hope. The future to him had been [...]
The Judas Kiss
Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss. Matthew 26:49 kiss– verb (used with object) 1. to touch or press with the lips slightly pursed, and then often to part them and to emit a smacking sound, in an expression of affection, love, greeting, reverence, etc.: He [...]
When Eating is Out-of-Control
What is Binge Eating Disorder (BED)? Individuals with binge eating disorder (BED) engage in binge eating, but in contrast to people with bulimia nervosa (BN) they do not regularly use inappropriate compensatory weight control behaviors such as fasting or purging to lose weight. Binge eating, by definition, is eating that is characterized by rapid [...]
Mental Hospital Blues
I must tell the truth. I have been in a hospital for my mental illness. Actually several times. And each time was bitter, but I learned something. They would take me of shoelaces, and belts, and fingernail clippers. Basically, I was stripped of everything, anything that I might use to harm myself. But I was creative, and took [...]