Offering Hope to Those that Don’t Need it

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Today’s Blog Post


Offering Hope to Those that Don’t Need it

As I look back now I am amazed at the possibilities of so many that I once knew that potentially had some form of mental health problems. As a Minister in a Church I was presented with a number of different problems with the idea that I could possibly “FIX THEM”. The all knew something was wrong and that I helped people with the problems.

At times parents brought their problem teen or child to be “fixed”. They were convinced that there must be a spiritual problem in the one that they had brought. There just had to be demonic possession or at the least oppression or obsession.

After all the results that were being manifest by the person that had the problem and needed to be “fixed” was often morally in conflict with the norm of the day. The reactions were so far away from the family’s upbringing that they must be satanically influenced in some way.

If not, why would a grown woman start sleeping around with other men than her husband? That was especially true when a fellow minister’s wife started entertaining some of the town’s men into her bed. Talk about weird.

In this woman’s case they found help for her and it was diagnosed that she was suffering from what they called “Manic Depression”. The fact that they used the word ‘Manic’ made it feel even worse… closer to Maniac…!! Well her actions sure showed everyone what it was all about – A MANIAC!

The more modern way of talking about is a Bipolar Disorder that the person is afflicted with. It is far more accurate than the other broad brush definition that was used.

Now as time has gone on and newer methods of dealing with this disorder have come about, the condition that has caused so many families to suffer so greatly is better understood.

When a person has been diagnosed with MS or maybe Parkinson’s Disease people understand and show some sympathy or understanding – and maybe even support.

When a woman takes off on her family and leaves with visions and delusions of grandeur, ready to change the world, ready to make new friends, ready to start being liberated with new sexual experiences, ready to and has already condemned her husband for his abuse and interference in her progress of life… and that she has never loved him… IT IS EASY TO SEE HER AS PLAIN NUTS!... or demon possessed! Pray for her more and maybe God will set her free.

Inside her miserable experience she may well be praying harder as well… wanting to be released from the horrible feelings that she has had. Knowing full well that she is not doing things normally, and that she is blaming the whole world for the way she feels.

As I saw more and more of these kinds of people I wondered if the church world was filled with NUT CASES???!

The problem actually was that with no medical or counselling help they turned to the one last place that everyone knew would not turn them away… the church… and if the minister was open to listen which most were for a while… they would pour out a story that was simply NUTS.

As a pastor I had a fair number come and in most cases I had no tools to help them at all. I didn’t have a clue what to do.

Further to that we as Christian Ministers, generally, didn’t trust the whacko job Psychologists and Psycharitists that were available. The connection between the two groups of religious helpers and clinical, worldly helpers was not there.

As a result of having a young man by the name of Kevin in my life I came to a new understanding of “Chemical Imbalance” (Bipolar Disorder). Kevin and I found help for him to get a real/good diagnosis… and then Kevin found help.

But this was long after many years as a Minister and having a clue to how to help.
I still don’t have a clue what to do… but I know now where to find help to help my friends that are suffering.

The hidden group that I deal with more now than ever, is the trail of family ruin and destruction that follows almost every person with the bipolar disorder.

They never know how many they have destroyed along the way of their denial and avoidance to get help.

I am studying more now than ever trying to desperately to understand.

Wikipedia states the following… quote..
“Bipolar disorder or manic-depressive disorder, which is also referred to as bipolar affective disorder or manic depression, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or more depressive episodes. The elevated moods are clinically referred to as mania or, if milder, hypomania. Individuals who experience manic episodes also commonly experience depressive episodes, or symptoms, or mixed episodes in which features of both mania and depression are present at the same time. These episodes are usually separated by periods of "normal" mood; but, in some individuals, depression and mania may rapidly alternate, which is known as rapid cycling. Extreme manic episodes can sometimes lead to such psychotic symptoms as delusions and hallucinations. The disorder has been subdivided into bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymia, and other types, based on the nature and severity of mood episodes experienced; the range is often described as the bipolar spectrum.”
End quote…

Wow what a huge pile to digest!

So why keep this one in front of my readers? What is the Big Deal with the Bipolar episodes that people have?

Families need help more than the individual does… or as much as the person with the disorder does.

When Wikipedia states that about the numbers… quote…
“Data from the United States on lifetime prevalence varies; but it indicates a rate of around 1% for bipolar I, 0.5%–1% for bipolar II or cyclothymia, and 2%–5% for subthreshold cases meeting some, but not all, criteria. The onset of full symptoms generally occurs in late adolescence or young adulthood. Diagnosis is based on the person's self-reported experiences, as well as observed behavior. Episodes of abnormality are associated with distress and disruption and an elevated risk of suicide, especially during depressive episodes. In some cases, it can be a devastating long-lasting disorder. In others, it has also been associated with creativity, goal striving, and positive achievements. There is significant evidence to suggest that many people with creative talents have also suffered from some form of bipolar disorder.”
End quote

The numbers don’t seem that high at 1%. But with every Bipolar Disorder there are 10 to 20 times that many people in the family that are deeply affected by the one person’s actions.

Now if the person with the disorder is in a place of prominence, the number can jump to 100s of times more than 1%. Just like my Pastor friend’s wife did in the small community… when she bedded the local men!

Bipolar Disorder may be the biggest societal problem yet. Our prisons have men and women that were never diagnosed before they acted out in some really weird way harming society. But then maybe they just acted that way when their own parent had the disorder – and were never helped.

In Ontario now we have been following the story of Elaine Campione, the 35 year old mother that drowned her two little girls and then tried to kill herself. She video taped the girls, alive, and herself before trying to take her own life. The events are sickening.

This is one lady that needs a huge amount of psychiatric help but never got it. To me, in my very lay-understanding way and from what I learned so far, she may well be a person suffering from a severe Bipolar Disorder.

Now all of her family and her husband’s family and the whole of our own community will suffer from one person’s very deep need.

This is a huge problem… and we need to understand.

~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
Resource
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipolar_disorder
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/Mother+guilty+drowning+little+girls/3833509/story.html