Growing Up, People Rarely Discussed Depression & Anxiety
Today, mental health issues are receiving more attention.
As a result, younger generations are increasingly aware of and struggling [1] with these conditions.
While the idea of bringing mental health issues into the spotlight was necessary, it raises questions:
Are our interventions improving, or are there some aspects still unaddressed?
Unfortunately, the causes of depression are more complex [2] than we yet understand, with no single treatment providing satisfactory results for everyone. Because depression is such a complex condition, mental health professionals often recommend a treatment approach that includes medications, psychotherapies, and lifestyle modifications.
Can We Ignore The Role of Values In Fighting Mental Health Disorders?
The result of bringing mental health issues to the limelight gave rise to psychologists and therapists. These guys both provide mental health support through counseling and therapy, helping individuals cope with emotional, behavioral, and psychological issues.
As we noted, “the causes of depression are more complex than we understand, with no single treatment effective for everyone.”
Should we automatically label those seeking help as medically unwell and in need of treatment?
Could their personal beliefs and values be a part of the problem? Can science pass judgment on values?
For example, If a married woman today is unhappy in her marriage and attributes her depression to this, might her discontent be her partner’s financial status compared to her secret lover’s? (Greed)
Maybe, on closer inspection, she chose to walk into the depths of infatuation before getting married, going against the values she was brought up with, which reinforced her dissatisfaction with one man? (Lust)
Even her intentions of seeking advice from a psychotherapist may be to validate her desire to dissolve her marriage and try another that probably won’t work. (Pride)
Therefore, can we afford to say that scientific interventions such as psychotherapy [3] and psychotropic medications like antidepressants [4] are satisfactory in helping people reclaim their mental health?
Is it possible that emotional difficulties may not always stem from an underlying mental illness?
Before The Term Depression Was Coined [5] In The 19th Century
No scientific framework existed to describe it.
People attributed depression to spiritual or moral afflictions, bringing about a deep sense of pain within themselves whenever they acted immorally.
They believed that the only proper remedy for this suffering was to seek reconciliation with God, others, and oneself, or else there was no cure.
Did it work? Solomon the Wise, who suffered from severe depression, shares with us in Ecclesiastes and Proverbs how to deal with it from his personal experience. It worked for him, and many then.
And even today, there’s scientific backing [6] that those who read the Bible are more likely to heal from depression faster.
Let Me Clarify
I’m not saying all emotional and behavioral issues are just hidden sins, nor am I implying every psychological problem is purely about illness or sin.
However, many struggles can be traced back to people’s sinful actions, habits, and attitudes.
Henceforth, we would demonstrate that sin may be the relevant issue and that where it is, repentance and faith in the redeeming work of Christ constitute the proper cure.
Soon, you’ll see that sin is a key factor in what’s affecting you or others today.
Understanding your own brokenness will open the door to healing in a way psychology alone can’t offer.
Remember, ignoring the reality of sin and goodness, evil and God, often leads to serious consequences. We can feel lost when we try to live like the world, without acknowledging our need for salvation and healing.
With this, let’s take a leap of faith to consider the weightier matter.
History of the 7 Deadly Sins
Modern culture has certainly turned the 7 Deadly Sins into entertainment, with movies and anime using it for drama.
But this is the devil’s way of trivializing a concept we can use for spiritual growth.
It was created as a moral/spiritual aid for Christians, especially hermits like Evagrius of Pontus & John Cassian. Over time, it gained popularity, with many Christian scholars writing about it.
Some, like Randy Rowland, propose that this list of sins can be traced back to Pope Gregory the Great, but it has changed in terms of its length and names over time.
Eventually, it evolved into the well-known list of 7 sins.
Sounds familiar, you diligent students of Proverbs?
How Can Sin Cause Mental Illnesses?
To understand this, let’s use case studies to understand the principle of causation.
In 2021, there was an account of a 22-year-old boy who mercilessly wiped out his entire family. Shockingly, he said, he drew inspiration from a TV series.
And then there’s the 2023 incident where a 24-year-old mother stabbed her 2-year-old child, and then did the unthinkable.
For such cases, one can’t help but wonder, what could drive someone to commit such evil acts?
You might get even more confused if you read about the causes of some of these atrocities.
Is the cause genetic? Cultural? Perhaps family-related? There are many ways to imagine potential causes.
For the sake of this discussion, let’s concentrate on proximal and distal causation.
Proximal Cause – Something closely related to an event. E.g. Act of stabbing leading to death of the 2-year-old.
Distal Cause – Something occurring earlier in the chain of events. E.g. Influence of a TV series and resentment on the 22-year-old boy.
The limitation of the concept of causation in today’s world is its assumption that all causes are secular, overlooking sin.
Sin, The Indirect Distal Cause of Mental Illness
Today, it’s alarming that people search for a cause to absolve an individual from accountability or wrongdoing.
As if finding a reason for someone’s behavior compels us to overlook that they consciously made a questionable decision.
Even psychologists have crafted elaborate theories on the process of causation.
They have asserted that guns being easily accessible leads to murder, childhood conflicts result in rape, inadequate public housing triggers poverty, strict toilet training causes OCD, and genes play a role in homosexuality.
Even though scarce evidence may support these claims, many maximize their efforts to validate that there is a high probability of the cause.
Therefore, labeling something today as sinful is the biggest sin and politically incorrect. Why?
It forces individuals to take accountability for their actions. It’s better for many to “do what seems right in their own eyes.”
Consequently, sin often goes unaddressed with the severity it deserves.
That Has Always Been Satan’s Scheme
It has slowly led the secular world to replace sin, with illness and other fancy words carelessly.
Notice how sinful pride today is replaced with high self-esteem, and the escapades of lust have been rebranded as liberating sexuality.
Yet, the Bible consistently portrays sin [7] as a dreadful force that has brought death and all life’s miseries to this once-perfect world.
Hence, sin is the indirect, distal cause of emotional anguish (sometimes a direct proximal cause).
Therefore, it is essential to recognize that psychological disorders can emerge from various causes, even when sin underlies the root of the issue.
How Then, Will We Get To Deal With Mental Illnesses Within Consideration of Sin?
We will consider whether terms like sickness, can do justice to all that is radically wrong with our minds, and get to ask and answer the following questions:
- Would it not be closer to God’s psychology to recognize that often, the problem involves sin?
- If we approached our struggles with due attention to our sin traits, might we get better therapeutic results?
- Would diagnosing specific sins instead of specific neuroses frequently be more truthful and liberating?
Suppose we refuse to acknowledge and confront our sinful nature.
If we stay unaware, we’ll miss how it damages our heart, preventing us from seeing the need for healing and restoration.
Remember, Christ’s redemptive power is available to everyone. [8] His promise is clear: without it, we’re stuck in the pain and sorrow caused by sin.
Only by recognizing the depth of our mistakes and how they lead to our struggles, can we truly understand and embrace God’s mercy, grace, and sacrifice, living the purposeful life He intended for us.
In This 7 Deadly Sins Series
We will boldly confront them and explore the underlying sub-traits that make up each sin.
Think of it as your diagnostic tool that will take you on a deep journey of self examination.
We will see the reality of how sin disorders hides beneath many, and maybe most, psychological problems.
When these disorders are recognized for what they are, our hearts may be led to repentance, faith, and hearty cooperation with the Holy Spirit.
Your portion will be a new dimension to your life in Christ.
Breaking habits is tough, and overcoming sin is even harder.
But as we reflect on Christ’s life, and His work to restore God’s image in our hearts, we’ll begin to understand that:
- God’s restorative love defeats sin’s cruelty.
- Sin is so serious that it sought to murder our Savior.
- Christ does what no therapist, or we ourselves can.
- Christ wants to restore your damaged heart.
INSPIRATION
1. What Your Counselor Never Told You by Dr. William Backus
2. The Lost Art of Thinking by Neil Nedley M.D
3. Character, Strengths, and Virtues by Christopher Peterson & Martin E. P. Seligman
4. King James Bible
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