Faith and Mental Health Issues

This video addresses the subject of the Christian faith and mental health issues in light of the recent Desiring God tweet that seemed to imply that faith automatically resolves such problems.

[@AnnabelleJARankin]

So glad you did this, Pastor. I'm sick of hearing 'mental health' as a catch-all for everyday ills, & silly ideas that we should seek complete healing in life (but we're going to die...). Depression, anxiety and dejection are part of life: we know 'there will be trouble' - and the idea that if we are not fixed on God enough we'll be 'diseased' is harmful.

[@JimiSurvivor]

Are Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder and Bipolar Disorder phenomena related to "everyday ills?" Is it not possible that the brain can be diseased just as the body or are their special rules for the brain? If the brain is fallen then its functions can be disturbed.

[@dg12317]

It’s interesting that when one has anxiety, the idea of medication is scary and we hesitate trying it and we try the lowest dose. I recently doubled my medication, yes, as a last resort. You can treat your symptoms and have a quality of life and still have Faith. If you are treating your disease and having Faith that God is walking with you along the way, then it keeps you from feeding your fears and therefore living the best life you can.

[@keilana6]

I have been anxious my whole life & have never seen a counselor due to lack of resources. I find I tend to have a "bipolar" type faith when I am powerfully anxious. I believe Jesus is Savior but feel far away from God when anxiety is crippling.

[@marcospou6541]

For those of us who suffer from mental health issues we are in a limbo because the secular professional are anti faith, and from a christian side they dont take our illness serious. So we are forced to live a double life.

[@BoondockBrony]

As someone who is bipolar and has an alphabet soup of multiple issues. I can attest to this, though I would go one step further and say secular mental health professionals are anti-Christian. They will *gladly* endorse apostasy if they think a patient's mental health issues could be remotely tied to Christianity but not for any other faith. Something Generation Y (my generation) outright embraced, throwing the baby out with the bathwater when connected to Jesus is my generation's biggest sin and look at the result. Pardon the tangent, I just am very fervent in my views when it comes to the mental health crisis being linked to the decline of church attendence, especially when it's zoomers and millennials.

[@chrisstrobel3439]

“You have unrepentant sin in you life” I’d say that’s right counselor .. I DON’T love God with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind, nor do I love my neighbor fully as myself .. do you ? 🙄 Yeah Jesus payed for those sins too .. to Him be the praise, honor, and glory forever! Thankyou Jesus. I believe Lord, help me mine unbelief 🙏

[@tonyortega750]

Amen and thank you so much for your candor. I struggle with anxiety and one reason I chose Lutheranism over Eastern Orthodoxy was because EO always left me feeling I wasn’t doing enough which just added to my anxiety and demotivated me. Where Lutheranism helps alleviate my anxiety invigorating my faith and purpose in life.

[@reesecurrie]

Thanks for this, Pastor Cooper. I suffered with anxiety issues as a younger man, and I picked up a very unhelpful book by Tim LaHaye (later, he wrote "Left Behind") that took the very law-centered approach you so aptly described. I wish more people knew about resources like this video. God actually did cure my anxiety, not instantly but through a process of desensitization. I am not on any meds today and haven't been for years. The passage that changed my life in this regard was 1 Peter 5:7, "casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." I did a lot of praying in a lot of odd locations throwing my anxieties on Him and over time, it began to come automatically, I guess.

[@PrentissYeates]

Good points made. I think that the lawkeepers like Piper and MacArthur, et al , (tgc), either chose not to deal with issues related to mental health ( a loaded term for Calvinists ), or they’re pride won’t let them. I keep telling myself that Christ died for our sins, and our anxiety and our fears. They may not vanish, but Christ’s death and resurrection was made to make all things new.

[@CloudslnMyCoffee]

Thank you for sharing. Thank you for not belittling the suffering of others. Thank you for reminding us that the truth is objective and external in Christ. I have often been told my mental health issues were sinful. Thank you for clearing the air

[@whittakerdanielj]

There is so much about this topic that you made a good start in it. I wish more Christians would have an open mind about this topic. But more than that, an open heart. Good video. Thank you for sharing.

[@markanderson8669]

Well put. I am a mental health therapist and your take on things is right on.

[@DisabledPsychedelica]

I definitely feel a connection to Luther as I’ve had Anxiety, and Major Depression since I was 5

[@jaimekuehner7363]

Highly intelligent people suffer more from anxiety and/or depression. You mind is very active and brilliant. I'm sorry you were told it's a sin....its not wrong to take medication it's what works best for you...God Bless.

[@DonQ946]

Thanks. I am on meds and they are helping me.

[@laudante24]

I'm also a theologian and suffer also from mental issues, so I related. It's very, very difficult to be intelligent and free of at least some depression/anxiety. I'm not against medication, but I sincerely hope you are not on benzodiazepines. I became an expert on them the hard way. May God bless you and give you always the means to continue this valuable job. I always find your videos useful. Thank you for that!

[@imapatching09]

Back several decades ago, a family member had 2 mental breakdowns which were terribly confusing to me as I have been a life long reader of God's Word and always associated mental illness with demonic activity (the pigs, the man who tore at his skin etc) the doctor asked me if I would be as confused if the patient had a broken arm or other health issue. I said no but that can be treated. He explained that the mind can get sick as well and be treated. The problem was that when released, he would not treat and this person did not have the money for the treatment. The faith of this person through constant reading of God's Word and prayer and time is what healed.

[@joelsexton6046]

Good on Jordan Cooper for being open about his issues and giving an informaive presentation on the stigma pertained to mental health issues. I myself suffer from bipolar disorder (it is under control) so am thrilled to see more and more people raising awareness to these various crippling illnesses. Jordan Cooper's youtube channel in general is really worth checking out. Himself and Eric Phillips have some wonderful Gospel teaching.

[@DrAtashaJordan]

I'm so encouraged to come across this video! I'm a Christian Psychiatrist and I do a lot of work to share mental health truths in the church.

[@sweetvictory3100]

Are u able to talk to people in Illinois?

[@chrisraney1996]

I've had a really rough year anxiety wise, but with God's grace and gifts of therapy and medication I'm healing. The next time someone suggests I just "give it up to God" as a remedy for anxiety I may just forward them this video. Thank you and God's peace be with you.

[@bobtaylor170]

Give it up to someone who says that to you by throwing your phone at him. Hard.

[@ZuoCruz]

I used to struggle with a lot of depression and suicidal thoughts that I had trouble focusing in college and have been at my local community college for 6 years now. I've also experienced anxiety attacks from a lot of American preachers who preach mostly on the self instead of Christ crucified and even ended up in the hospital one time after listening to several Paul Washer sermons. It wasn't until I stumbled upon your channel and other Lutheran youtubers and fellowship groups on fb and learned several distinctions between Lutheranism and Reformed Theology. I thank God for the sweet gospel found in Lutheranism that helped alleviate all the internal problems I've suffered from in the past and am slowly recovering.

[@resurrectionjose]

+ZuoCruz -- As per your last sentence within your post, praise God Almighty! As for Paul Washer and other's of that ilk: Anathema to them! On second thought, F*&^ them and every peddler of a false gospel that stresses 'Law' over 'Gospel'!!! Despite not fully spelling out a certain word, a great deal of time I don't mince words despite readily admitting it shows my base side. Or "based" in 'Alt-Right' parlance. :) *(You and others might be interested in the following books by Julius H. Rubin, and with the first one being somewhat a favorite of mine throughout the decades.)* *_Religious Melancholy and Protestant Experience in America_* and *_The Other Side of Joy: Religious Melancholy Among The Bruderhof_* www.amazon.com/Religious-Melancholy-Protestant-Experience-Religion/dp/0195083016/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518420173&sr=8-1&keywords=Julius+Rubin books.google.com/books?id=NjGKk57qJwcC&printsec=frontcover&dq=inauthor:%22Julius+H.+Rubin%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiZxcfO7J_ZAhUOmVkKHW39CTMQ6AEILTAB#v=onepage&q&f=false www.amazon.com/Other-Side-Joy-Religious-Melancholy/dp/0195119436/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1518420173&sr=8-5&keywords=Julius+Rubin books.google.com/books?id=c5TmCwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=inauthor:%22Julius+H.+Rubin%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiZxcfO7J_ZAhUOmVkKHW39CTMQ6AEIQzAF#v=onepage&q&f=false *(I have the eBook but I never got around to fully reading it. No matter because I'm familiar with his life, depressive moods and shock therapy, and his eventual suicide from reading "Reforming Fundamentalism: Fuller Seminary and the New Evangelicalism" by George Marsden.)* *_The Making and Unmaking of an Evangelical Mind: The Case of Edward Carnell_* by *Rudolph Nelson* www.amazon.com/Making-Unmaking-Evangelical-Mind-Carnell/dp/0521342635/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1518421448&sr=1-1&keywords=Rudolph+Nelson+%27%27The+Making+and+Unmaking+of+an+Evangelical+Mind.+The+Case+of+Edward+Carnell%27%27 books.google.com/books?id=DRqJ81wPJScC&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+Making+and+Unmaking+of+an+Evangelical+Mind:+The+Case+of+Edward+Carnell&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjZp92a8Z_ZAhVBGt8KHW0pDDAQ6AEIKTAA#v=onepage&q=The%20Making%20and%20Unmaking%20of%20an%20Evangelical%20Mind%3A%20The%20Case%20of%20Edward%20Carnell&f=false *(Book review way at the end of "Religious Melancholy..." by Paul A. O'Gorman)* churchsociety.org/docs/churchman/108/Cman_108_4_Reviews.pdf

[@snoozev]

Thank you so much for this video. With recent events that have taken place in America surrounding mental illness and shootings...this was a breath of fresh air.

[@BrotherIonatan]

Bless you Pastor Jordan!! I praise God for you!!

[@jwschock]

Thank you for your transparency on this topic - well done!

[@miropecovic3876]

God bless you Dr. Cooper! I'm so sorry for the anxiety you had. I have felt that way too, and still do sometimes. It usually comes from a lack of trust in the Lord's care for me. I understand to a degree the feeling. May the Lord help us to be freed from this, and have mercy on us all.

[@brennybrenb]

Thank you, Pastor. I have very similar experiences and I really appreciate your encouragement.

[@louisebraiden5842]

I really appreciate this, thank you 🙏

[@LinNoOne]

So helpful, thanks for this

[@Rose-xc7wz]

I have spent the vast majority of my life dealing with alphabet soup of mental health issues. I have been on medication off and on and have had all the push back you have heard. I was even in the Word of Faith movement for a while but I have been blessed with clarity and growing mental health. We are exploring decreasing my dosages but that is my preference. I am not alone in my struggle and knowing that doea help.

[@chickennugget6098]

Thankful for this

[@Kringlelicious]

My husband and I are currently looking for an LCMS (no AALC churches near us) church near us to join (he was raised LCMS). I had anxiety about religion from a young age, where I would have recurring nightmares about Jesus rejecting me when he arrived back (I was raised part SDA and we didn't have infant baptism). Anxiety about religion and sometimes depression continued. One LCMS church (even pre-lent) seems very fire and brimstone, almost, in it's messaging. Because of my past and my past parental/church abuse, maybe I deserve it? They leave me sobbing and unable to move past it. The LCMS headquarters said maybe it's because I'm realizing the depth of my sins. That was very unhelpful - because the other LCMS church near me has more compassionate messaging and I don't feel like a depressed mess after I hear their sermons. Maybe I don't deserve that? Maybe I won't grow as I should if I join that church? I'm trying SO HARD to just keep studying on my own/with my husband. I read the works of Heidi Goehmann (which really has helped) but most of the LCMS seems really unfriendly to people who have mental issues.

[@sw5859]

Then is there any difference between mental health issues and physical health issues? You mentioned that you wouldn't rely totally on meds for your anxiety and only take minimum dose. Say if you had a physical health issue, would you also not follow the doctor's advice and only take minimum dose? If your answer is no, then there must be a difference between mental and physical. I agree that applying the law to people suffering anxiety or depression is not helpful. But on the other hand, applying the gospel to them is actually helpful, which means faith has an effect on these mental health issues.

[@stevebriner3362]

This is just one of many reasons why I ditched Desiring God dot org. That, and I'm Lutheran not Reformed! 😀

[@justnsinner3993]

Thanks for this video. I've got anxiety issues as well, along with depression at times. I was wondering what medication they put you on that is working for you. They think that I have a mood disorder and put me on 100mg of Lamotrigine daily. Thanks again. Christ is risen...

[@ronobvious1785]

I too have found that counselors are pretty much worthless. Whether it be for myself or others that I know I have yet to see anyone come out of a counseling session and be any better off than they were going in.

[@RobertEWaters]

Well said.

[@rudyb690]

Thank you!

[@jdcole82]

Really appreciate this video. I’m an Anglican that has been seriously considering Rome or EO, but have noticed that the deeper I can into their dogma the worse my anxiety gets regarding salvation. Some Phillip Cary videos led me here and have really been soothed by the Lutheran perspective on justification. Not sure if you can answer this but would really love to know which medication worked for you. For me, the ssri’s made me feel worse, which you seemed to imply as well. Benzodiazepines work for me but I don’t want to take them very much due to dependency and doctors really don’t like prescribing them. Did you find an ssri type that worked or was it just a low dose benzo?

[@bobtaylor170]

I've been on benzodiazepines for twenty years. If I hadn't, I'd have died of sleep deprivation 19 1/2 years ago. I'm a traumatic brain injury "survivor", and I'm on a lot of different kinds of meds and will be for the rest of my life. In my state now, some lousy damned medical board or other is imposing itself on doctors who, in their opinion, overprescribe, yanking licenses without warning. What is even more enraging is that I'm in one of only about 12 states which has zero provision for medical marijuana. The people in my PCA church think this is nonsense. As one of our elders said, "God put it here for a reason." Indeed.

[@denisechoate]

I've heard from all those objections to mental health issues also. I have a serious mental illness and I cooperate with my medical Dr and psychiatrist ( he's the doc that prescribed and clinically manages my mental health condition with the right combination and the appropriate dose of medication. His treatment and care of me is done out of compassion. And I've been told I could be deceived and pulled away from the church for accepting my diagnosis. I've left the OPC because of their single minded emphasis on Jay Adams nouthetic counseling movement.

[@BoondockBrony]

I dated a woman who was in the OPC, I have heard horror stories of abuse among other things from her. Not shocked to hear that have a bad mental health record.

[@1920s]

Do you have a video that is specifically about Piper’s “Christian Hedonism”? I’ve been in the faith 5 months and I struggle mightily with mental illness (anxiety/depression) and have for years. I’ve heard messages from Piper that are so emotion and feelings based that I feel absolutely lost and unable to be saved. I already struggled with assurance and some of his stuff has me teetering on the edge of sanity. I keep being drawn back to your videos. I’ve created a “Lutheran stuff” folder. God bless you.

[@bobtaylor170]

How are you doing now? Please ignore such terrible counsel. It's unBiblical. We're fallen creatures, and that includes our brain biochemistry.

[@1920s]

@@bobtaylor170 I’m now LCMS and doing better, but far from where I’d like to be. I have a bad case of anfechtung. I really appreciate you asking how I’m doing. Very kind of you.

[@crafterman2345]

Dr. Cooper (a dyed-in-the-wool Lutheran): I don't let my personal experiences define what I believe Dr. Cooper: 3 sentences later: my experiences are similar to Luther

[@Will4fun]

I am not a fan of John Piper (a Calvinist) and I want nothing to do with John Calvin or Calvinism. I graduated from a Presbyterian/UCC College in Illinois with a BA in Philosophy-Religion. I found Calvinism to be extremely depressing. Especially for someone like myself who has a tendency to experience melancholy. Most spiritual leaders are totally unqualified to give any advice or recommendation about mental health issues. Lutheran minister Tom Brock (PastorStudy) here on KZbin recently had a shoulder replacement. He said a number of people ...even doctors gave him terrible advice on how to be healed when he first experienced pain and discomfort with the shoulder. Recommendations for certain supplements were given to him as well as other remedies. He decided to go to his primary care physician and he was further referred to a specialist. There are ministers/rabbis/priests who are degreed and certified mental health care specialists. Some are very good and some aren't. I believe they have to have their own priorities in order....before you ask them to treat you. A former coworker (a feminist) would actually interview psychologists before going through therapy sessions. That way, she could understand where they stood on a lot of issues. I think this was a good idea carried over into Christianity. You should know where your counselor stands on issues. Healing is not just about the mind. It's about the whole person...mind, body and spirit.

[@bobtaylor170]

The first question I asked the clinical neuropsychologist who treated me for eight years and did me immense good was, "Do you believe there is a body/mind interaction?" ( In other words, as I'm sure you understand, I was asking him if he believed in the existence of the soul. ) "Yes," he said. "We're on," I responded.

[@isaiahnieto7615]

Dr. Cooper, What's the best book(s) on applying the Bible to mental health issues?

[@KingNoor2007]

I kept on getting thoughts that I should just leave Christianity but overtime I got over the thoughts and stayed in Christianity but then it was like something didnt feel right (i’ve had many mental health issues because of Christianity) and then I did some research if Christianity was true if other religions were true and then I thought what if there is no God and I just got very depressed and sad and I haven’t been able to pray at all and I just feel like sinning and I can’t repent.

[@jacobcarne8316]

Read Carl Trueman’s article on the Psalms “What Can Miserable Christians Sing?”

[@Will4fun]

Paul was an apostle who had great faith in Christ. Yet, Paul was not healed from an affliction he endured. Jesus healed suffering people who came to him. Yet, Jesus did not heal all the people living at his time or in our time. It is not a lack of faith that keeps us from being healed. And, if we only have faith to be physically or mentally healed, are we going in the direction that faith is supposed to take us?

[@mysticmouse7261]

Anxiety isn't something you do. So the Christian counselor that told you to stop should stop counseling.

[@sweetvictory3100]

Anyone in here put on benzos? Please tell me what those did to u long term and if it affected your faith. 😢

[@02sweden]

Of course people should get help when they get anxiety and depression. Sorry that You met these people early on, that did not have proper knowledge about anxiety sickness.

[@USGovsOwnersRtheRealEnemy]

Isn’t “forgiveness “ itself proof of the failure of your faith and as a result the rest of it shouldn’t be given one neuron tour.

[@Edward-ng8oo]

Annabelle perhaps you’ve never experienced panic attacks, extreme anxiety and deep depression, because I think if you had you would perceive the matter somewhat differently and not simply categorise them as a normal part of life. It’s normal to feel depressed and anxious over events which seem threatening, but where there are no obvious reasons to feel depressed and anxious yet a fearful dread and despondency hangs over a person then that isn’t natural and has a supernatural cause. The reasons for why God allows one to suffer at the hands of evil spirits could be unrepentant sin, lack of faith in Christ, false faith, believing false doctrine etc which can only be remedied by giving greater attention to God's Word and praying for guidance and insight.

[@closerthanabrother9703]

Edward, I tend to agree with you. I struggle and have struggled incessantly with fear of falling away, fear of losing my faith, or that perhaps I’m not repentant etc.. what is the solution to all this? I WANT to rest in Jesus but it’s so hard for me to do this which makes me worry that perhaps I’ll never be able to again. It makes me worry I’ve gone too far in the past and can’t recover or trust Jesus anymore even though I want to

[@Edward-ng8oo]

@@closerthanabrother9703 I've only just seen your reply so I don’t know whether you’re still in the same situation. If you are I'm not sure I can be of much help particularly when I don’t know you or what your specific beliefs are. Do you believe in free will or predestination for instance? I hold the Scriptures teach that God from eternity has elected and predestined people to be saved and damned. Coming to that realisation definitely helped me because it meant that I have the conviction that my salvation isn’t dependent on my efforts but on God’s mercy (Romans 9:16). Also if one has the desire to trust in Christ then as long as one is wanting to trust in Christ as revealed in the Bible then such a desire can only come from the Holy Spirit since left to ourselves we wouldn’t have such a desire. I would be careful who you listen to on KZbin. I noticed you’re subscribed to Mike Winger. I viewed a video of his a few weeks ago concerning predestination and thought his views were unbiblical.