SuicidePreventionConferenceColumbia,MOAugust3-4,2017

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ShowMeYouCareAboutSuicidePreventionConference- 2017

“DemonizationofMentalIllness”Dr.DonnaM.Scott

ExecDirector,UnmaskingSuicideInc.

ØAlookatmentalillnessandthe illnessdivide

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ShowMeYouCareAboutSuicidePreventionConference- 2017

Ø Criticalityoftheroleofthereligiouscommunity

Ø Manifestationofpsychoticepisodesandnegativespiritualencounters.

Ø Religiouscommunitiesbecoming“placesofwellness”

SEMINAROVERVIEW

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ShowMeYouCareAboutSuicidePreventionConference- 2017

IllnessDivideIllnesses arediseasesofthebodyormind;poorhealth;

Althoughthetwodefinitionslooksimilartherecontinuestobeadiscussionastothevalidityofmentaldisordersbeingmedicalconditions.

Thisdebate,especiallyinthefaithcommunity,isthefoundationalattitudethatcontinuetoisolateparishionersfromseekingandreceivingthehelpthatisneededtolivehealthyfaithfilledlives.

Mentalillnessesarehealthconditionsinvolvingchangesinthinking,emotionorbehavior(oracombinationofthese).

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ShowMeYouCareAboutSuicidePreventionConference- 2017

IllnessDivideInanattempttoassistanindividualwithamentalhealthdiagnosis,theprerequisiteoftenrequiresremovingunhealthyperceptionsandreplacingthemwithtruth:MentalIllnessisamedicalproblem,justlikeheartdiseaseordiabetes.

Suchdiscussionsassymptomsandcausescanbethestartandstopplaceforprovidingadequateassistance.Asweallknowthementalhealthdiagnosisisdeterminedbysymptomsasopposedtomostmedicaldiagnosis,whicharetreatedbasedonthecause.Althoughapatient/doctormaynotbeabletonameanexternalinvader,doesnotmakethemood/disorderunreal.

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ShowMeYouCareAboutSuicidePreventionConference- 2017

IllnessDivideMoreandmore,twenty-firstcenturysciencehavebeenabletoshowthephysiologicaldifferencesthatoccurinthebodyduringperiodsofsuffering,asshowninthispicturefromWebMD.

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ShowMeYouCareAboutSuicidePreventionConference- 2017

RoleofthereligiouscommunityHistorically,mentalhealthhasbeentaboointhefaithcommunity.Whilethereislittleornodiscussionoreducation,thebehaviorandresponsetoanindividualsufferinghasunfortunatelybeensimilarinthemajorityofthesecases.

Toooftenparishionersaremetwithascoldingthatincludeanassessmentoftheirfaithbeingweakandaregivenspiritualexercisesthatresultinlittleornochangeinthementalhealthoftheindividual.Oftenitactuallypushesindividualstodeeperlevelsofdespairanddepression.

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ShowMeYouCareAboutSuicidePreventionConference- 2017

Philippians4:6Becarefulfornothing;butineverythingbyprayerandsupplicationwiththanksgivingletyourrequestsbemadeknownuntoGod.7 AndthepeaceofGod,whichpassethallunderstanding,shallkeepyourhearts andminds throughChristJesus.8 Finally,brethren,whatsoeverthingsaretrue,whatsoeverthingsarehonest,whatsoeverthingsarejust,whatsoeverthingsarepure,whatsoeverthingsarelovely,whatsoeverthingsareofgoodreport;iftherebeanyvirtue,andiftherebeanypraise,thinkonthesethings.

RoleofthereligiouscommunityWithoutgoingintoaBibleclass,thereisonetextthatIbelieveALLfaithleadersshouldregardasthegenesisforpositioningforministryintheareaofmentalhealth.EveniftheBibleisnotyoursourceofguidance,thepremiseforthistextshouldbethecoremindset.

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ShowMeYouCareAboutSuicidePreventionConference- 2017

RoleofthereligiouscommunityThethreekeypointsare:Ø There’saneedtoreachoutforsomethinghigherØ There’sapeacethatisattainableØ There’sanidealthoughtpatternthatshouldbeobserved

NowtherealityisthemajorityofthoseinneedKNOWthesethingsfromacognitiveperspective,buttheabnormalitytheyareexperiencingintheirthinkingblockswhattheyknow.

Thosewithlikeminds,whoareinahealthymentalpositioncouldbethelinkneededtoreconnectanindividualtowhattheyonceheardorlived.

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ShowMeYouCareAboutSuicidePreventionConference- 2017

DemonizationPhenomenaTheperpetuationofthedemonizationphenomenahasitsrootsinscripture.OvertimethestoryoftheboyinthegardeninMarkchapter5whowasobviouslyinmentaldistressandharminghimselfhasbeencharacterizedasademonic.

Althoughthedescriptionofthebehaviorcanbelikenedtoapsychoticepisode,thisshouldnotbethereasontoblanketallmanifestationsofsimilarbehavior.Matthewwritesinchapter4thatthereisdistinctdifferencesinthediseasedandthedemonpossessed.

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ShowMeYouCareAboutSuicidePreventionConference- 2017

Matthew4:24Newsabouthim[Jesus]spreadalloverSyria,andpeoplebroughttohimallwhowereillwithvariousdiseases,thosesufferingseverepain,thedemon-possessed,thosehavingseizures,andtheparalyzed.

AssessingthemanifestationsrequirespirituallymatureindividualsthathaveactuallystudiedandprayedaboutthismattertoGodsothatHecanstrengthentheabilitytodiscern.

Inthebook,“DepressedorPossessed?ChristiansRecognisingandRespondingtoMentalIllness” theauthorlistafewquestionsthatcanbeaskedtomakeadecision.

DemonizationPhenomena

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ShowMeYouCareAboutSuicidePreventionConference- 2017

DemonizationPhenomena1. Take a history. Has there been extensive involvement in witchcraft or the occult? But be aware that in Acts 19:18 those occultists needed to confess their sin rather than be exorcised, therefore involvement does not necessarily mean possession.2.Are the symptoms atypical of psychiatric or physical illness? Are there explanations other than demonic possession?3. Is there agreement between level-headed Christians who have spent time praying and seeking the will of God on the matter?4. Remember that Jesus only exorcised when asked to do so or when manifestations occurred in front of him – he did not go to people and tell them that they needed to be exorcised.

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ShowMeYouCareAboutSuicidePreventionConference- 2017

DemonizationPhenomenaInsummation,theonlywaytoaddressthiscripplingmindsetinthefaithcommunityisviaeducation.Becausetraditionalismhasbeentheorderoftheday,thewillingnesstoaccepteducationwillonlyfollowtearingdownthetraditions.Whilethismaybemetwithopposition,leadersmustknowthataddressingtraditionsdoesnotmeandismantlingdoctrines,onlyadjustingperceptions.Thisiscriticalforplacesofworshipatthistime,with1in5peoplesufferingfromdiagnosablementalillness.Becausemanyinthisgroupattendourplacesofworship,theprobabilityofdeepeningthestigmatizationshouldbeenoughtopropelleaderstomakestepstowardchange,nomatterhowsmall.

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ShowMeYouCareAboutSuicidePreventionConference- 2017

PlacesofWellnessOurChurches,SynagoguesandMosquesarevitalinourcommunitiesasbeaconsoflight.Unlikeanythingelse,thereshouldbeasenseofhopethatemanatesfromtheverypresenceofthestructure.Sadly,thisisnotthecaseinmostcommunities.ThebeliefthathinderstheseentitiesfrombeingthehelptheyneedtobeisthemisunderstandingthatthespiritualleaderhastohaveALLtheanswerstotheALLwoesoftheparishioners.Thereareseveralwaysthatthiscanbealleviated,butitstartswiththeleader.Agoodleaderissimplyonewhoisabletoinfluence.Maybetheinfluenceistosimplyprovidethesupportandtheresourcestoaccesshelp.

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ShowMeYouCareAboutSuicidePreventionConference- 2017

PlacesofWellnessHavinghadtogototheemergencyroomseveraltimesinmylife,Ihaveobservedafewimportantdetailsthatcouldserveourreligiousinstitutionswell.

§ Triagewillassigndegreesofurgency§ AttendingPhysicianfocusesonfirstremovingtheemergency§ ServicingPhysicianfocusesonstabilityandlongtermtreatment

Thechurchhasoftenbecharacterizedasahospitalanditwouldbeidealtoapplysimilarprocessestohowleadershandletheirresponsestosituationsofmentalhealthissues.

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ShowMeYouCareAboutSuicidePreventionConference- 2017

PlacesofWellnessTriage:Requiresleaderseducatingthemselvesintheareaofmentalhealth,tomakecorrectassessmentsinthetimeofcrisis.

AttendingPhysician:Itisperfectlyokayafterdeterminingthedegreeofurgencyinamentalhealthsituationtohandoffanindividualtotheresourcethatcanassistbest.

ServicingPhysician:Nowtheleadershouldbeequippedwithresourcesthatarewillingtoinvolvetheindividual’sfaithintheirtreatmentandformateamofcaregiversthatincludethespiritualleader

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ShowMeYouCareAboutSuicidePreventionConference- 2017

QUESTIONS

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ShowMeYouCareAboutSuicidePreventionConference- 2017

THANKYOUFORATTENDING!

ContactInfo:Donna@unmaskingsuicide.org

FBProfile– DonnaScottFBPage– @DMSMinistryTwitter- @Unmasking

Instagram- @donnamscottwww.unmaskingsuicide.org