Many Christian pastors dismiss mental illness

In a study of Christian church members who approached their church for help with a personal or family member's diagnosed mental illness, researchers found that more than 32 percent were told by their pastor that they or their loved one did not really have a mental illness.
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"The results are troubling because it suggests individuals in the local church are either denying or dismissing a somewhat high percentage of mental health diagnosis," said study leader Matthew Stanford, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor University in Texas. "Those whose mental illness is dismissed by clergy are not only being told they don't have a mental illness, they are also being told they need to stop taking their medication. That can be a very dangerous thing."
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Baylor researchers also found that women were more likely than men to have their mental disorders dismissed by the church.
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All of the participants in both studies were previously diagnosed by a licensed mental health provider as having a serious mental illness, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, prior to approaching their local church for assistance.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27200727/

:eyes:

mental illness then one is possessed of the demon of mental illness. All one must do is rebuke the demon of mental illness and pray to Jesus for deliverance.

the blind leading the stupid.

My dad was a pastor and he was pretty normal, but I've met quite a few that are way out there.

Oh yeah, I forgot. The laws don't apply to them.

expecting the Lord to figure it all out, rather than going to a licensed clinician for whatever problems they have.

The mainline churches fully support modern medicine and many church members are themselves healthcare workers, even mental health workers.