What if Mental Illness is a Spiritual Battle?

As Christians, we often turn to God for the various challenges we encounter, whether financial, physical, or relational. The Bible says in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

As a mental health practitioner or a client seeking mental healthcare, where is the line drawn for our understanding of the various theories of mental illness? In this article, we will explore theorized understandings based on psychological/psychiatric research and compare this to our spiritual knowledge. In addition, we will explore differences between a holistic approach to treatment within Christian and traditional or secular counseling.

Theoretical Understanding of Mental Illness

Most of the public is aware of the existence of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, or the DSM, but most are not aware of the specificity behind the various disorders and how practitioners apply them to their practices.

Each diagnosis is explained by a categorical approach (which includes lists of symptoms, whether someone meets the criteria or not, duration of symptoms, and treatment approaches) and a dimensional approach, which sees various human experiences as a spectrum or continuum, allowing for additional components such as cultural/religious influences.

These two approaches allow clinicians to better understand how mental health works and how to apply various interventions to overcome distressing symptoms.

So, where do theories come into the overall explanation of mental health? Several theories in psychology and psychiatry attempt to provide some understanding of where these conditions come from and how we as practitioners can improve the quality of life for the individual experiencing their symptoms.

For example, a widely known theory among mental health providers is the dopamine theory, which is the most current and plausible explanation we have as to why someone develops schizophrenia. The theory hypothesizes that the brain has a surplus or overproduces dopamine neurotransmitters, which results in a person experiencing psychosis. So, how do practitioners use this theory to treat the individual with schizophrenia?

The common classification of medications used to treat schizophrenia is antipsychotics. The primary chemical compound in antipsychotics works as an antagonist (i.e., blocker or inhibitor) for dopamine neurotransmitters, which in theory reduces or ideally eliminates psychosis.

However, research has shown a broad spectrum of results in applying this theory. Some individuals who live with schizophrenia completely stop experiencing psychosis or minimally experience symptoms, which don’t majorly impact the person’s day-to-day activities. Contrarily, some individuals experience little to no change in their symptoms but develop significant side effects from antipsychotics.

Let’s now look at less severe conditions that many people experience, such as depression or anxiety. Per the DSM-5-TR, women experience depressive symptoms or are diagnosed with depression at higher rates (e.g., 1.5-3 times) compared to men, and women are twice as likely to experience higher rates of anxiety or be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder compared to males.

As you read that sentence, you are probably wondering why women are more likely to experience these than men. While there are theories that attempt to explain this phenomenon, there is no conclusive evidence for why this is, especially when you consider additional factors such as cultural norms, societal expectations, and personal circumstances, which vary from person to person.

You may also wonder whether there are specific treatments for women since depression and anxiety are more commonly reported among women than men. The short answer is yes and no, and is not simple in practicality.

Feminist therapy does address depression and anxiety for women by creating a special bond between the counselor (i.e., typically a female counselor) and the client, which looks at several factors in a woman’s life, such as societal pressures, gender inequalities, and oppressive structures.

However, additional interventions from cognitive behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapies are evidence-based therapies that can address various contributing factors of depression and anxiety in both men and women.

Whether it’s schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, or any other mental health condition, the DSM is not an infallible manuscript for diagnosing and treating to the point of complete remission from symptoms or eliminating the disorder. As previously stated, various theories are formulated based on extensive research, which continues to have limitations in applicability with a person experiencing symptoms from a spectrum of psychopathology.

What is the spiritual understanding of mental illness?

Now that we’ve discussed a theoretical understanding of mental health, we will dive into the spiritual context when addressing mental illness. First, we will look at the Bible, which addresses everything from simple understandings of anxiety to more complex spiritual battles, such as demonic influences. The Bible says 1 Peter 5:7 “…casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

Yet, when we are anxious, do we give it to God first, last, or at all? This chapter in 1 Peter emphasizes spiritual maturity, humility in the face of adversity, and pushing against the devil who continuously attacks believers. So, what does that mean to you, as a Christian? The principal concept of 1 Peter 5 is to have faith that God will be there for you and provide a favorable outcome.

Depending on your denomination of Christianity, you may have had Biblical and/or clerical teaching about spiritual influences that cause behaviors or alternate personalities. For example, if you live with chronic anxiety, you can easily perceive it as a simple symptom, stemming from situational factors (i.e., job loss, financial hardship, or trauma). While this may be a correct assumption, go further and look at the potential of spiritual influence.

Ephesians 6:10-20 instructs us to put on the full armor of God to fight the evil forces the world presents to us. Paul wrote a prayer in his letter to the Ephesians (whose city was full of sin), that they would be protected both from the devil’s schemes and from bad spiritual influences they might encounter. We, too, can pray this prayer for God’s help.

The Advantages of Christian Counseling

How does Christian counseling differ from other, non-Christian counseling interventions? While traditional psychotherapies (i.e., CBT, DBT, ACT, etc.) offer research-based interventions to treat various psychological challenges, Christian counseling adds an additional level of support to these empirical interventions.

Christian counseling and Christian counselors emphasize the integration of the Bible with widely known psychological interventions. In fact, many Christian counselors have additional degrees (e.g., a bachelor’s degree in theology or a master’s degree in divinity), which provide additional research-based knowledge to the counselor’s interventions.

Many graduate degrees in psychology are also available at accredited Christian-based universities throughout the United States, which focus on the integration of Christian concepts such as marriage counseling, depression, anxiety, substance use, spiritual battles, etc. If you’re considering Christian counseling for the first time, you’re encouraged to speak with the counselor about your preferences.