Mental Health and the Identity Crisis of Humanity

Mental Health: Its Overwhelming

Mental health has become one of the most important topics in the United States today. The number one Mental Disorder is Anxiety.

There are several different types of anxiety disorder such as General Anxiety Disorder, Specific Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Separation Anxiety Disorder.

General Anxiety Disorder Symptoms

Feeling restless or on-edge

Feeling fatigued often

Difficulty focusing

Irritability

Excessive feelings of worry that are difficult to control

Difficulty with sleeping

Panic Disorder

Heart Palpitations or increased heart rate

Sweating or chills

Shaking, trembling

Shortness of breath

Sense of terror

Feeling a loss of control

Specific Anxiety Disorder

Phobias

Social Anxiety Disorder

Agoraphobia - fear of transportation or places where safety is not 100% assured in the mind.

OCD

Most claim ocd because they do something because out of order things bother them, but true OCD comes from deep seated fear about ordinary things that could somehow cause harm or even death when done improperly or incorrectly which drives a compulsion.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Unwanted or recurrent distressing memories or flashbacks of the event.

Nightmares about the event

Avoidance of things related to the event: people, places, or situations

Hopelessness about the future

The amount of adults suffering from anxiety falls just short of 20% which amounts to 40 million Americans Adults and roughly 10 million kids under 18 and older than 13.

Anxiety and Depression are not the same thing, and should not be lumped together.

The Symptoms of major depression are:

Severe and persistent low mood, profound sadness, or a sense of despair. A major depressive episode, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, is “experiencing a depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities, accompanied by problems with sleeping, eating, energy, concentration, or self-worth for two weeks or longer.

roughly 7% of of adults and up to 14% of adolescents suffer from depression. Which ranges between 17.3 million people to 26.8 million people suffering from depression.

I want to be clear. There are times when our bodies betray us. When the chemicals in our bodies tell us lies and deceive us. There are hormonal imbalances and issues of the brain. These things should be treated. Medication is no evil and can do much good; especially in helping us to escape a cycle and cling all the more to the Lord.

The Advice of “Experts”

Dr. Claire Weekes - Hope and Help for Your Nerves

Accept, Accept, Accept

Neville Goddard - Feeling Is the Secret

Feel, Visualize, and Believe yourself to your desired reality

Neil T Anderson - The Bondage Breaker

Blame Satan and Demons and Believe the Truth of Your Identity.

Famous For

Things should be different… The statistics shouldn't be going up… not if believers were really believed or knew all that God has and can do. Now here me, I am not blaming the depressed or anxious believer for their depression and anxiety. for in Christ there is neither guilt nor shame. That is not to say that the burden and responsibility for change does not lay between the depressed, anxious and Jesus, because it does. Nor is the struggle of the depressed and anxious supposed to be dealt with alone, but that we Christians are supposed to bear one another’s burdens and struggles as our own.

Galatians 5:14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

The help to be provided by each other however is not the focus of this sermon. The focus of this sermon is how the Christian can face each of these disorders through the power of Christ and the use of correct medications when needed.

First I must confess my condition to you. I struggle with General Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Major Depressive Episodes and Suicidal Ideation. On a general day I will suffer all the feelings of sleeplessness, edgy-ness, fatigue, loss of control, and focus problems. I struggle with heart palpitations and sweaty-ness, especially when I preach and teach the word of God. I struggle with mind-numbing fear and irrational expectations of the future based off previous experiences. and in my worst moments I have no hope and life becomes meaningless. everything loses color and delight and enjoyment become satirical illusions.

But my sufferings are not the focus of this sermon either. The point of today's Sermon is that you can experience victory, success, and joy through Christian Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ today and everyday. The only way I can convey this is by telling you exactly what drives me out of every slump.

What drives me to Joy in Christ is remembering exactly what God is famous for. Today, I want to share with the congregation the reason for the hope that I have within me.

The first thing that pulls me from the darkest places in knowing the History and Deeds of God! He made way from certain death through the Reed Sea. He made three young men Fire Proof! and Walked them through the fire. He shut the mouths of the lions before Daniel! He brought the dry bones to life before the prophet Ezekiel! He Brought Fire from the heavens defeating the prophets of Baal before His prophet Elijah! He stopped the very Sun and moon for the people of Israel to win their battle! In Jesus he healed the sick, the possessed, and the terminally ill. He had victory over Satan in the Wilderness, He walked on water, fed 5000 or more - twice, and ultimately defeated the costly penalty for Sin once in for all.

And while all of that extremely shortened list is amazing… There is something I find more amazing. All the physical things God did, While simply awe inspiring, is not the most impressive thing He has done. The most impressive thing God has done is chase his people even when they run from him. how he changes peoples destiny’s and restores them to himself. That the will of God is to restore all to himself. His will is to restore me

Of course I think of Abram and Sarai who’s names were changed

Genesis 17:5 - No longer will you be called Abram, your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations

Genesis 17:15 God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai, her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

I think of Jacob who wrestled with God and became Israel, who walked different because of God.

Genesis 32:28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and humans and have overcome.”

I could talk about how Simon became Peter!

I could talk about how Jesus changed tax collectors, prostitutes, gluttons, drunkards, and the possessed. I could tell you how Jesus changed the rich and all of history or how he softened the hearts of rulers and peoples.

But I think one of the best examples in God changing people can be found in the book of Hosea. Hosea was a prophet of God that was told to marry a prostitute. this prostitute had children with her. God commanded him to name them horrible names because of the sins of Israel. They were examples of how God would deal with a rebellious people. His children were Jezreel after a man murdered, and he was an example of God’s desire to put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.

the second child was a daughter named no mercy. She was an example of God’s desire to have no more mercy on the house of Israel. for it is what they deserved for forsaking the covenant. She was an example of