I have this…worm in my head, this thought that will not go away, a little voice that constantly says “you are not good enough.” Not good enough…compared to other people, compared to friends, people on TV, other bloggers, random people in the street. That in comparison to them I am stupid (this one is a […]
Wasting Time
August 18, 2012 by 2 Comments
In the UK there is an offence of “wasting police time” when we do things that cause an unnecessary police response, wasting man-hours and their attention. Wasting time, whether our own or someone else’s seems generally to be considered, if not a sin, then something wrong. Mental illness steals our time and leaves little to […]
Putting the Patience in Patient
August 16, 2012 by 1 Comment
Being mentally ill requires a lot of patience. You have to be patient with your own mind, in the hope that it will eventually get better, and you have to be patient with those trying to treat you. Patience is one of the seven heavenly virtues and important to the Christian faith. When we are ill, […]
Hymn Above All Hymns
August 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment
There is one hymn that moves me like no other, one that speaks deeply to me whether I am well or ill, and which provides great comfort to me. That hymn is “Abide With Me” by H F Lyte (1793 – 1847). I love both the words and the music, and I hope you will […]
Before the Ending of the Day
July 26, 2012 by 2 Comments
Before the ending of the day, Creator of the world, we pray, that with thy wonted favour thou wouldst be our guard and keeper now. From all ill dreams defend our eyes, from nightly fears and fantasies; tread underfoot our ghostly foe, that no pollution we may know. O Father, that we ask be done, […]
Life Update
July 24, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Just thought I’d share a little of what is going on in my life at the moment, although I generally stay away from that sort of thing, as my life is by and large quite boring! I am very well at the moment. In fact, for the past year I have had few wobbles, and […]
The Power of a Good Story
July 19, 2012 by 2 Comments
We have all seen them, the stories of those who have suffered and won. Disabled people face two “stories” about themselves – the disabled person as scrounger, as the faker who is in it for the benefits and not really disabled/ill (which has become increasingly the story of choice for the government/media) and the disabled […]
Troublesome Verses: Sound Mind
July 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment
There are some verses in the Bible which are troubling to Christians who suffer mental ill-health. Some of them seem to suggest that we cannot be proper Christians, or even Christian at all, if we have mental illnesses. One of these verses is in 2 Timothy, where Paul is speaking to Timothy: For the Spirit […]
“You Have a Spiritual Problem”
July 14, 2012 by 3 Comments
There is a great deal of rather ignorant talk from some Christians about mental illness. I think everyone has at least heard of, if not actually experienced, Christians who believe that mental ill-health is a spiritual problem rather than a medical one. Such people believe that a Christian must be in emotional good health, and […]
Reading the Bible as a Mentally Ill Person
June 30, 2012 by 13 Comments
I remember when I was given a “proper” Bible. I was about thirteen and the Gideons had come round to my school, handing out pocket New Testaments in the NIV translation. I don’t think I really read it at that time, aside from when we were covering Mark’s Gospel in RE class, but I have […]
Believer's Brain 