Does anyone have a mental disorder?

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I have Bipolar disorder and I find that it (the depression, mainly) is the largest hindrance to my prayer life. I was wondering if anyone else deals with a mental disorder and if it interferes with your spirituality and how you try to deal with it.
 
I find that depression has been a hindrance and a gift in my relationship with God and with other people. All people have some level of “disorder” in their lives. Some have a more profound or noticeable disorder. I have learned to bring my moods before the Lord in prayer. I take my medication, I have people in my life who will tell me if they think I’m going over the edge. I try to exercise and eat right. I have made the St. Louis DeMontfort consecration to Jesus through Mary. I try not to be too hard on myself and I rely on the Blessed Virgin and my Guardian Angels to make up for what I may be lacking due to my disorder.

Spiritual Direction can help as well as therapy. May God bless you abundantly!
 
I was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The interesting thing is that since I reverted back to the Church, my increased spirituality has actually tempered my moods to a certain degree. I also credit years of therapy, both medical and psychological.

Though this disorder may also hinder my prayer life, I’ve gotten to a point where I don’t sweat it as much, realizing that each day is a new day in Our Lord’s creation, and it gives me another day to focus more on God.
 
I suffer Bipolar Disorder. Have been quite stable (no sign of any episode at all) for over 5 years roughly and severity seemed to start to stop/start decrease roughly 10 years ago. Prior to that I wandered in a nightmare of severe psychosis for intermittent periods with more hospitalizations than I can count I think. Bipolar onset at 28 years (now 62 years) after severe life trauma.

Barb:)
 
I’ve been on medication for OCD for years.
As some of you know the scrupulosity part still breaks through, sometimes more, sometimes less…🤷 :rolleyes: It can be challenging to separate scrupulous thoughts from what I really believe deep inside… well, usually it is quite clear (is it? I think so…) but scrupulosity is like another voice going, “well what if I am right…”):rolleyes:

I have had phases in my life when I was almost convinced I might be bipolar. Running through the night high on life… with my walkman on… and then after a while crashing again because I was tired… and it felt so meaningless suddenly, whatever dream I had been holding on to… but I have only played a game too, trying to find myself. A psychiatrist said I had ups and downs, yes, but not enough to do anything with medication.

I think I am eccentric. 😃

Kathrin

(p.s. This “big grin” smiley looks mean. But that’s not the way I mean it.)
(p.p.s. This could only come from a person with tendencies toward scrupulosity huh?)😉
 
I have schizophrenia but stay on medication. I find that an illness makes the prayer and spiritual life so much easier to draw closer to God. He is more with the disadvantaged as they are the ones who most recognize their need for Him. “Normal” people too often have their pride get in the way of a good solid relationship with Dad.
 
kind_bean said:
I have Bipolar disorder and I find that it (the depression, mainly) is the largest hindrance to my prayer life. I was wondering if anyone else deals with a mental disorder and if it interferes with your spirituality and how you try to deal with it.
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I have also have mental health issues that are at times pretty debilitating.

And yes, it is a problem spiritually. The sense of connection to the Spirit that I have at ‘up’ times feels completely absent during ‘down’ times.

The only thing that works for me when I get in that spot (and I am in it right now) is to keep doing what I am supposed to do even though I don’t want to and it doesn’t feel like it is working.

As far as family life that means doing my daily chores and routine even though I don’t want to do that at all.

In my Christian life that means praying the Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy every day and attending Mass as usual. Even when it feels like it isn’t working, when it feels like I am completely cut off from God and the whole thing is pointless.

I’ve found over the years that forcing myself to do my daily routine will help me get out of the mental health ‘downer’ faster and helps keep my life from spiraling into disaster.

Hope this helps, and I will keep you in my prayers.
 
Hi KB. I have struggled with depression, throughout my life (although, I have never been officially diagnosed with bi-polar or anything similar). But I have had times… when it has been extremely, almost hopelessly difficult for me to pray.

Then, I heard something… which made me start to really think about it in a different way. I was watching “Mother Angelica Live” on EWTN and she was talking about “spiritual dryness” (difficulty in prayer, especially).

She said that “spiritual dryness” can be a true gift from God. When we pray… under those circumstances… we must put forth a huge effort to do so (because we don’t “feel” anything); It then becomes an extremely valuable thing… because in our difficulty… we are saying to God… “I love You”. So, praying with spiritual dryness becomes proof of our love for God.

I was like… WOW! Mother went on to say, that we can even thank God for the gift of “spiritual dryness” because He is TRUSTING us with it. I had never thought of it… in this way. It really helped me, a lot. I hope it helps you, too. God bless. 🙂
 
I pray for you it is not easy, spiritual direction really helps. Find someone that will tell you the truth and want to be serious with him or her. Not someone who knows you or a relative. Satan wants us to stop praying so try to make a schedule but if you miss it is ok but don’t let it keep on missing. Go to pray at the Tabernacle as much as possible. Stop into the chapel and even for a 5 minute prayer just to say hi to Jesus. Receive the Eucharist as much as you can. Even if you feel alone go near the Church if you can’t get in and pray in your car as near to the tabernacle as you can. Wear a crucifix on days of gloom and of joy, but you don’t have to everyday, you will get into tune when you need the sacramental, wear as a reminder that you belong to the King of Glory. Blessings
 
My prayer life has suffered from my bipolar disorder. I am just recently diagnosed so I hope it gets better. I can pray the rosary but before my illness really settled in I was praying lectio divina. I find I avoid silence now and that I am afraid to have God speak to me. I suffered from delusions and psychotic breaks where it felt like the whole universe was speaking too me. I describe the self-centeredness that pervaded my life through my illness as living a heresy. I was the center of the universe. I am still healing from this. It felt so evil at the time and and I did feel that I was being seduced by Satan. This has been hard for me to reconcile. I know that it was the illness speaking but I also know that evil lurks when you are weak. I comfort myself with the knowledge that God protects the weak and I leave the eternal turmoil to God to figure out.

What broke my heart was that I had my first inkling of my illness after I had entered my postulancy at a Cistercian monastery. I left due to my illness though on all sides it was not known at the time. We just thought the enviroment was too constrictive for me and that that is why I became paranoid there. Anyway my biggest heartbreak is that now with my bipolar diagnosis they won’t allow me to return. I have found that with many orders but did find two that might consider entrance from me.
 
I have my life in the world, enduring both mental and psychological illness, for over 50 years.
Yet I have found that one finds God, and is found by Him - not despite such illness,
but rather in and through such illness.

quote: reen12, from another thread
And this is where those who suffer from depression - or myriad other illlnesses of the mind, can, in their brokenness, bring living waters to those who are so lonely, even in the midst of many other people, in a nursing home.
Sometimes, the ‘vessels’ carrying this water, may be broken or even shattered…

Yet they hear the cry of the poor, wherever this cry is heard, because they may feel empty inside, themselves - because of this illness of mind.

And, one day, the helper and the helped [who were helpers, too]
will join hands and dance with joy, together, with the
Lord of the Dance.

Dance, dance, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He.
And I’ll lead you all wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said He.

cyberhymnal.org/htm/l/o/r/lordoftd.htm
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I think that God ‘entrusts’ me with this illness,
fitting me for work that He wishes me to do.

Do You need a cracked pot, Lord? http://bestsmileys.com/nono/9.gif
“Here I am, Lord. Send me.”

Does God use even a shattered vessel to carry
the waters of Siloe? I think that He does.



reen12
 
onaquest said:
My prayer life has suffered from my bipolar disorder. I am just recently diagnosed so I hope it gets better. I can pray the rosary but before my illness really settled in I was praying lectio divina. I find I avoid silence now and that I am afraid to have God speak to me. I suffered from delusions and psychotic breaks where it felt like the whole universe was speaking too me. I describe the self-centeredness that pervaded my life through my illness as living a heresy. I was the center of the universe. I am still healing from this. It felt so evil at the time and and I did feel that I was being seduced by Satan. This has been hard for me to reconcile. I know that it was the illness speaking but I also know that evil lurks when you are weak. I comfort myself with the knowledge that God protects the weak and I leave the eternal turmoil to God to figure out.

What broke my heart was that I had my first inkling of my illness after I had entered my postulancy at a Cistercian monastery. I left due to my illness though on all sides it was not known at the time. We just thought the enviroment was too constrictive for me and that that is why I became paranoid there. Anyway my biggest heartbreak is that now with my bipolar diagnosis they won’t allow me to return. I have found that with many orders but did find two that might consider entrance from me.
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The devil hides in the diagnosis of mental illness as to discredit your witness and thwart the help of the Church which will not get involved once this diagnosis is reached. Demonic oppression is a very real concern for the mentally ill, as he likes to be destructive while hidden, but manifesting to the victim so that they will try to fight him alone, which is a trap. I don’t know why God allows this humiliation. A test perhaps, of loyalty, obedience, preseverance to Him and His body, the Church. To taste the rejection He endures so often. I have been diagnosed with clinical depression, ptsd, and bi-polar type 2 (without the mania). I remain unconvinced of this diagnosis, but comply out of subjection as to not be a source of concern to others. But, the devil remains engaged in combat despite “the cure” of medications. I have had enough contact with him too be able to recognize his work. Keep trying for your vocation, despite this attack and the secular diagnosis which is becoming more and more popular with Dr.'s. Tim
 
I don’t have it, but I know one of my Legion of Mary members used to have it. She wasn’t a devoted Catholic back then, but one day she made a pilgrimage to an not-yet-approved Marian appariation (Sorry, I cannot mention the name in order to avoid the discussion of this apparition - CAF rules do not allow), and her problem was gone. She is more devoted ever since and recently has become an attorney (a very stressful job)
 
goofyjim said:
I have schizophrenia but stay on medication. I find that an illness makes the prayer and spiritual life so much easier to draw closer to God. He is more with the disadvantaged as they are the ones who most recognize their need for Him. “Normal” people too often have their pride get in the way of a good solid relationship with Dad.
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Hi goofyjim, Ialso am schizophrenic have taken my medicine continuously since 1976, it was my illness that lead me to Christ in the first place with this prayer “Jesus I’ve made a mess of my life now You take over” later I was inspired to become a catholic by this prayer “Ancient of Days, Ancient of Days seated in splendor, surrounded with praise” , I had prayed this repetitively in the hospital for days on end, later at home I realized that it was like saying the Hail Mary over and over so I became acatholic. I agree with the sick need a Physician-Jesus. those who are well may not see the need. God bless.:gopray2: Prayer has always been an important part of my illness.
 
If I am struggling with something or other, I can find it a real help to me, since I can be totally unable to pray mentally, to pray aloud. It may not work for others, but I just find hearing my own voice and saying aloud to The Lord what I want to say is a help and a consistent help to me in times of difficulty. Of course I live alone.
Barb:)
 
BarbaraTherese said:
If I am struggling with something or other, I can find it a real help to me, since I can be totally unable to pray mentally, to pray aloud. It may not work for others, but I just find hearing my own voice and saying aloud to The Lord what I want to say is a help and a consistent help to me in times of difficulty. Of course I live alone.
Barb:)
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Read both of your posts Barb, I’ve been in hospital many times since 19 70, but I’ve been stable for several yrs. now and get better at living all the, foryrs. i lived with my parents and never left my bedroom, only rocking in a rockingchair with no life or hope during what should have been the most productive years of my life, now thank the Lord and His Mother Mary thru many ups and downs has brought much joy and continual happiness in my heart.:console:
 
centurion50 said:
Read both of your posts Barb, I’ve been in hospital many times since 19 70, but I’ve been stable for several yrs. now and get better at living all the, foryrs. i lived with my parents and never left my bedroom, only rocking in a rockingchair with no life or hope during what should have been the most productive years of my life, now thank the Lord and His Mother Mary thru many ups and downs has brought much joy and continual happiness in my heart.:console:
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Thank you very much for sharing Centurion:thumbsup: …and wonderful indeed!..it sure sounds as if you have had a truly nightmare journey! Let us hope and hope and pray and pray always that our stories can somehow bring hope to other sufferers in some way. I often think that if I can come back from the place where I was, then every person has reason for hope…leastways that is my prayer. I was lost most of the time and in a complete psychosis needing hospitalization and with a diagnosis of “cot case for the rest of her life” (spoken to my ex hubby by doctors) I almost feel guilty about my own journey to this point now…and if I let myself, then I would feel guilty! So many and so many very innocently suffer so very much and probably it is only those of us who have experienced mental illness know the nightmare and indeed horror that it can be. Why am I here and why are they there? It is not that I deserve it I am very actuely aware.
God bless you richly and all in this thread…it can take real courage in our day and age to front up, out the ‘closet’ and state “mental illness”. Our society, often, finds it difficult to insight that the brain is an organ just like any organ of the body, and be diseased or malfunction. And no fault of most sufferers.
…is heart disease, or lung cancer or diabetes etc. etc. the fault of the sufferer?
But I shall dismount my “high horse” for the time being anyway:o
Blessings and to all …and prayer…Barb:)
 
One bright spot in my two month stay in the mental hospital, the woman in charge of the department was a devoted Catholic and she brought her priest to visit me and I received communion and the sacrament of penance.
 
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