Who are those with a mental illness?
We are your brother
your sister
the man
across the street--
one in every five families is dealing with a mental illness.
Our Shared Mental Health Reality
In our American society, and even in faith communities, there is discrimination and great stigma against those who have serious Brain Disorders or mental illnesses. For us, at Joe’s Addiction, this is both a social justice issue and a ministry.
All people are created in the image of God and worthy of being treated with dignity, respect, and love. Jesus gave us a new commandment, that we are to love one another as he loved us. Jesus goes on to say that this is the evidence or sign that we are truly his students. (1 John 13:34-35).
Because mental illnesses like schizophrenia, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder (manic depression), obsessive/compulsive disorder, unipolar disorder (clinical depression), panic, are biological brain disorders, they should be treated as any other biologically-based medical illness.
Many in our community were run out of churches who were uncomfortable with mental illness or were told they had sin issues. These refugees are our friends and family. The treatment they have received is nothing less than discrimination and emotional abuse.
When you consider that at least 1/4 families (including church families) have family members with brain disorders, we can not, in love, look the other way. It is estimated that close to 1 billion people (nearly 1/6 of the global population) including children suffer from these neurological disorders.
Among the homeless (friends who live outside) and extremely poor, the numbers are much higher. In America, 45% of all our friends who live outside have mental health issues. The Joe’s Addiction community is called to break through the isolation and fear by offering love, care, hope, and acceptance.
Sweet Tea for Gary
I came out of the kitchen, and Gary was right there. He stopped in his tracks and just stared at me. “Gary!” I exclaimed, “I haven’t seen you in a long time!”
Gary lives outside and has some pretty extreme mental illness. The last time I had seen him, he was dirtier than I had ever seen him. His skin was brown, not from a tan, but from dirt. His layers of clothing reeked of urine. That time, he had only come in out of the cold for just a few minutes to warm up, and then he set out again walking down the street. That’s where I usually see Gary, walking down the street. I don’t know where he comes from or where he’s going, but he’s always walking.
This day, when I greeted him, Gary just stood there. Frozen. His light blue eyes always have a glassy sheen to them. He seemed like he was looking right through me. No response. I asked him, “Can I help you with something, Gary?”
He said, “Yeah. I would like a tall iced tea.” Then he smiled, “With lots of sugar, please?”
“I think I can handle that,” I told him.
I was surprised. In the few years that I had known Gary, I had never seen him order a drink. He always just drank the free coffee or a cold cup of water from the cooler. I was surprised that Gary even had money. I’ve never known him to panhandle, and the uncle who was his Social Security payee gave up helping him manage his money a long time ago.
I went to the tablet to ring up his order. “Two seventeen,” I said. Gary pulled out a small fold of bills and handed me the cash.
As I was scooping ice and pouring his drink, I mentioned to him that he looked good. Gary had some time recently taken a bath. His clothes did not reek, and his overgrown hair and beard seemed to have been brushed. Although, he still looked like the last man on earth. Long, wild hair, thick scraggly beard, and tan leathery skin (now due to the sun, not just dirt).
Gary smiled. Then he asked, “Does your iced tea have healing powers?”
I said, “I don’t think I can say that it does.”
“Can it cure my multiple gunshot wounds?” he asked.
“You have multiple gunshot wounds?” I asked him, as I poured a steady stream of sugar into his cup.
“You can’t see ‘em now, but yes. I have multiple gunshot wounds.”
I stirred his tea slowly with a long spoon.
“Well, I’m glad you’re not bleeding all over my floor,” I said, as I looked him in the eye.
His eyes brightened, and slowly a grin spread across Gary’s face.
I handed him the tea and asked him to taste and see if it was sweet enough. He took a sip and then said, “It presents perfectly.” His head was bowed, but he smiled, looking at me through the tops of his eyes.
I put a lid on the cup. Then Gary turned and walked out the door into the hot Oklahoma sunshine, sipping his tall iced tea.
I don’t know how to explain to you that these types of encounters make everything else I do at Joe’s Addiction pale by comparison. The Hindi word, “namaste” that is often used as a greeting means: I see and acknowledge the Divine in you. I live for these moments when the real person at the core, underneath the illness, allows me to see them. That moment of connection feels to me like I have just seen God.
Types of mental illness we see
Mental illnesses are caused by traumatic, genetic, electrical, chemical, or structural problems in the brain. Whether it is Tourette Syndrome, Alzheimer's Disease, Schizophrenia, Anxiety Disorders, Seizure Disorders, or Depression they are all brain illnesses and not only deserve equal treatment, they need our understanding and compassion.
This is not an attempt to define all mental illness or brain disorders but simply a glimpse into some of the daily encounters we deal with. At Joe’s Addiction, we daily encounter people with Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Anxiety or Panic Disorders, and Severe Depression, which are some of the most devastating brain disorders, and there is yet great prejudice and misunderstanding.
Affective Disorders
This is the most common psychiatric illness. Symptomatically we see serious changed mood swings. These may be like a “bipolar” manic-depressive illness, where a person swings from extreme low and high moods. Often it is a severe depression or “unipolar” where a person has relentless low moods. These occur when a disruption in normal brain functioning and processing occurs. Research tells us that all depressive symptoms are triggered by the body's reaction to external events. Depression hits most people between 25-45 years old (the prime of life), but of course, can appear at any age. With the right treatment, over 80% improve.
Schizophrenia
Medically this is caused by structural changes or chemical imbalances in the person’s brain. Research points to a genetic predisposition, as well as cultural, environmental, and psychological factors. Schizophrenia generally occurs between the ages of 17 and 30, and rarely after age 45. We have seen many young people suddenly slide into this mental illness just as their adult life is about to begin. Those with schizophrenia don’t have a "split personality." Experiencing a severe episode of schizophrenia often has a dramatic rise of severe psychotic symptoms, ranging from unable to separate unreal from real experience (out of touch with reality). During an episode, schizophrenia suffers can experience periods of delusions or hallucinations, and a distorted ability to think. Those with schizophrenia occasionally display emotions that are inconsistent with their thoughts or speech. Though medications usually can control the most theatrical symptoms of schizophrenia, as of yet they can not cure it. One-third of all people in treatment recover completely. One third will improve, needing only occasional hospitalization. One third have long-term, recurring schizophrenic episodes requiring hospitalization.
Anxiety Disorders
When tensions and apprehension interfere with coping successfully with the demands of daily life, school, job, or family, their condition should be treated as a grave psychiatric disorder. This collection of illnesses include obsessive-compulsive disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress syndrome and panic disorders. Anxiety disorders are often revealed through physical symptoms like dizziness, tension headache, excessive perspiration, palpitations or rapid heartbeats, shortness of breath, and other slowed-down or accelerated body functions. There is most likely not a single situation or event that causes anxiety disorders. More likely it is environmental and physical triggers that intersect to produce a particular anxiety disorder. Behavioral therapy, Psychotherapy, and of course Medication, are used to treat these anxiety disorders.
Phobias span from simple fears of specific situations (closed spaces flying, or snakes) to the fear of being in a busy store, alone in a public space without a way out. Panic disorders often involve repeated attacks of anxiety or panic. Obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) often result in ritualistic and repetitive behavior involving repeating word patterns, cleanliness, collecting seemingly useless things which are then repeatedly stacked or counted, and intense concerns and care about being careful or doing a sequence of intricate steps in a precise order often only to repeat them again and again. Researchers are exploring the linkages and differences between obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression.
Dementias
Dementias cause loss of intellectual abilities, especially memory and personality changes. Subtle changes such as memory loss of recent events are seen first, with more dramatic memory loss following; e.g., names of old friends or relatives are forgotten. Alzheimer’s disease, which affects 15% of people over age 65, is included in this classification.
Loss of nerve cells and brain atrophy is responsible for many of the dementias. A series of small strokes, over a period of time, can also result in symptoms of dementia. Genetics seems to be a predisposing factor. In recent years, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) has also become recognized as a cause for progressive dementia.
There are no well-established plans for the treatment of dementias. Medications such as the antipsychotics and antidepressants are given to counter such symptoms as irritability, agitation, suspicion, and depression. Socialization programs and activity therapy are helpful for many who suffer from dementia.
Get involved:
Do more than be friendly. BE A FRIEND to those who have no friends, for severe mental illness tends to isolate people. Include them in your outings, invite them to a ball game, out to eat after church, or accompany them to church activities.
Ask for a speaker, Jamie Zumwalt, or better yet, from one of the mental health organizations in your area to talk with your church and community organizations.
Be a STIGMA BUSTER. Object in writing and by telephone when media and gatherings stigmatize mental illness.
Ask your governing body what your faith community is doing to make all persons with disabilities, including persons with mental illness, feel welcome, and a part of community/congregational life.
If you are an employer, hire persons like these for suitable jobs. Their intelligence is not always altered by the illness. (For private employers, there can even be tax advantages.)
Join an advocacy group to better support the needs of mentally ill persons even if you don't have an ill family member. Be alert to pending legislation regarding the disabled and mentally ill.
Support funding for research into severe mental illness. At present Americans are spending about the same amount to study tooth decay as for each American with schizophrenia or depression. Research money should not be siphoned off from other serious diseases, but mental illness needs to begin getting its fair share of attention from government agencies and private citizens.
Contact the Governor and your State Representatives to let them know you care about services for persons who are mentally ill.
Volunteer your help here at Joe’s Addiction in Oklahoma City or in programs serving persons who are mentally ill in your town.
Contact your local Alliance for the Mentally Ill, Mental Health Association, or local or state agency that works with the mentally ill for programs in your area.
