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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QUESTIONS
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ShowMeYouCareAboutSuicidePreventionConference- 2017
THANKYOUFORATTENDING!
ContactInfo:[email protected]
FBProfile– DonnaScottFBPage– @DMSMinistryTwitter- @Unmasking
Instagram- @donnamscottwww.unmaskingsuicide.org
