Psychological Disorders

  • Thread starter Thread starter chefsamba
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

chefsamba

Guest
I read somewhere the other day that having mental problems was a sin. What’s the church’s position on people who are dealing with mental problems? I am very interested on learning everything I can about mental health problems and how they relate with God and such.
 
I read somewhere the other day that having mental problems was a sin. What’s the church’s position on people who are dealing with mental problems? I am very interested on learning everything I can about mental health problems and how they relate with God and such.
Where in the world did you come across something like that? The Church has no such opinion concerning those with mental illness. As a matter of fact, almost the opposite, as far as I can tell, in that it takes a person knowing and understanding the sinfullness of an act before it is counted as sin against them (this is a short and probably incomplete way of espousing this, hopefully others will jump in with references as my Catechism isn’t handy at the moment 😉 ). So a person’s mental capacity to understand sin is important, and likewise the diminished mental capacity is certainly not counted against a poor soul as sin in itself!
 
I read somewhere the other day that having mental problems was a sin. .
you did not read that on any reliable authorotative Catholic source. Mental illness is just that, illness, and illness is not sin, nor is it punishment for sin.
 
Then, if someone were to be suicidal, or want to hurt themsevles, it would not be a sin, as long as they did not follow threw with anything? (Thank you very much for your replies.)
 
Then, if someone were to be suicidal, or want to hurt themsevles, it would not be a sin, as long as they did not follow threw with anything? (Thank you very much for your replies.)
Certainly not!

Of course, as with any illness, someone who is feeling depressed to the point of thinking of hurting themselves or committing suicide must seek appropriate treatment, whether through therapy or medication or a combination of the two.
 
Then, if someone were to be suicidal, or want to hurt themsevles, it would not be a sin, as long as they did not follow threw with anything? (Thank you very much for your replies.)
Being suicidal is a sign of serious distress and despair. It is a sin to allow oneself to wallow in despair if one has the ability to get through it. But true psychological disorders are another matter. The person does not have clarity of thought, or for a time, has limited capacity to reason, and since the brain is electrical who knows what short circuits could be going on inside? God knows, and that’s what matters.

Whether or not a suicidal person follows through with it does not determine whether sin was committed. It’s a matter of the heart, and as you may know, a suicidal person does not reveal his/her heart so the average person, and even those closest to them, would not be able to read his/her heart at the time of death.

The Catholic Church teaches that God’s mercy can be granted to those who call upon Him at their moment of death, and He alone knows whether or not the suicidal person did just that. It doesn’t even have to be spoken or thought, it has to be in the person’s heart.

This is why the Catholic Church prays for all departed souls, for all people suffering from loneliness, separation, despair.
 
Then, if someone were to be suicidal, or want to hurt themsevles, it would not be a sin, as long as they did not follow threw with anything? (Thank you very much for your replies.)
I believe this type of question or topic would be best dealt with by a mental health professional and/or a priest. Is it possible to find someone like this to answer your questions?
 
I do not want to have to go to a professional for a question like this, because I doubt he’d be interested in the religious aspects of this. I also don’t know what priest I could go to, although there are some available.
 
I really just want to make sure that no sin would be going on if someone were to be having mental problems. If what I read was right, then, you just need to rely on God and ask Him to help you?
 
I do not want to have to go to a professional for a question like this, because I doubt he’d be interested in the religious aspects of this. I also don’t know what priest I could go to, although there are some available.
Oh, my, you could not be more wrong about both!
There are Christian and Catholic therapist out there ready to help.
God called them into the vocation their in to do His will, and this is one of the ways God continues to reach out to help each and every one of us. Start HERE.

As for priests, it is the same - they have responded to God’s call to enter a vocation He chose for them. Trust them to do His will, and trust that God’s will is always to take you under His care.

Pray the rosary, too, especially when the thoughts of despair and loneliness are thickest. Fr. Corapi says, “Our Mama wears combat boots!” and he’s right on the money. She is THE best mother one could ever dream of and she is powerful against Satan. It has been proven time and time again. Remember, she was good enough to be Jesus’ mother, and she is YOUR mother, too. No matter what.

You will be in my rosaries this week. May God’s peace be with you tonight and always.
 
I know this is probably a strange question, but are there online priests here I could ask the same question to?
 
I really just want to make sure that no sin would be going on if someone were to be having mental problems. If what I read was right, then, you just need to rely on God and ask Him to help you?
Absolutely not! God gave us the medical and mental health professions for a reason, he expects us to seek their help when it’s required, so do pray but you must ALSO see a doctor or therapist.
 
I really just want to make sure that no sin would be going on if someone were to be having mental problems. If what I read was right, then, you just need to rely on God and ask Him to help you?
The key is whether or not there are real mental problems, as opposed to emotional tiredness, though, even that is usually chemically related and can be treated with medication and therapy.

Psychological disorders are usually the result of something in the brain not working as it should. Outside factors, life experiences don’t play a role in it’s appearance as much as the life experiences reveal the symptoms of the underlying problem.

Emotional disorders are different, though manifest real physical symptoms. Emotional disorders are a matter of not being able to process life experiences in a healthy manner…we supress thoughts, desires, emotions, words, expressions for a myriad of reasons (usually developed by our external environment - how our families interacted, how our teachers affected us, how other kids affected us)…like a pressure cooker our minds can hold all this stuff in for so long until it reaches a point that something’s going to explode. For some it’s a mental breakdown, for others its an eating disorder, for others its addictions to drugs, alcohol, or sex, for others its just reaching the point of giving up all together.

Psychiatrists deal with the psychiatric disorders, psychologists and psychotherapist deal with the emotional disorders. Both are people called into the profession in order to do good. God gave them the skills, the intelligence, the insight, the bedside manner, the desire to help His people.

So, it’s not just a matter of relying on God and asking for His help, it’s also up to you to receive the help He sends to you. You’ve reached out to us here. We are pointing you in the right direction, now it’s up to you to reach out to those other messengers of God waiting to help you through whatever it is you’re going through. They have the answers for you, God gave the answers to them. Now if you don’t try to help yourself by answering God’s call for you to call those doctors, then the sin factor gets a little foggy.

If you don’t call the doctors out of pride or because you know they can get you through this but you’d rather not get through it then that’s where sin can creep in. I doubt that’s the case for you, but there are some people out there who just want attention and don’t care how they get it - think of the guy who recently confessed to Joan Bonnet’s murder. Still, you know your heart, I don’t. God does. Place your trust in Him and He’ll get you through anything…even giving you the strength and courage to pick up the phone to make an appointment.

Peace to you.
 
So, if somebody has mental problems, it would be a sin to not get help? What if they just prayed and stuff?
 
Once again, thank you so much for your posts. They are very helpful! 😃 May God bless you all!
 
I know this is probably a strange question, but are there online priests here I could ask the same question to?
Haven’t heard of any, and I’d be suspicious of any if I did…I’d want to be sure they were loyal to Rome in their teachings and advice giving.

But honestly, you can call a priest’s residence in times of emergency. If you check your local parish’s directory there will be a phone number of the house in which your priest resides. Put the number right next to your telephone. Granted, you don’t want to do this more than once or twice, but if you are that overwrought with despair, I’d call that number.

If you can, pray the rosary - all the mysteries - until you fall asleep or until morning, and then go visit the priest after 8am. Mary, your guardian angel, the saints, and any loved ones you have who have died will get you through the night. Just keep talking to them.

There’s also the suicide hotline I would suspect they have people manning the phones there of every faith, I should think you could request talking to one of them. It would be just like God to use people like you and me to volunteer at a place like that. Call them if you really need to talk things out until you can get to a doctor or therapist. I bet they even have some to recommend in your area.%between%
 
So, if somebody has mental problems, it would be a sin to not get help? What if they just prayed and stuff?
Yeah, that’s where it gets slippery…
So they pray…and stuff…
what do they pray?
If they pray for help and He sends it but they reject it…what does that say about the person?
God doesn’t just take away our pain or illnesses, though He can.
Our pain and suffering counts for something…it serves the greater good…it brings us closer to Him. There is joy on the other side of whatever troubles us and we don’t have to die to experience that joy, though it may seem that’s the only way to stop it. It’s not.

God does not give us more than we can handle - with Him.
It’s when we aren’t turning to Him, we aren’t accepting His help through other people, that we bury ourselves deeper into our troubles. That’s where sin creeps in. We are rejecting Him, His help… why? Pride? Fear? Pity? certainly a lack of Trust.

We are obliged to accept the answer to our prayers, even when it appears doing so would be uncomfortable or impossible for us. You just have to believe that you can do what He is asking of you, and it’ll be ok.
 
Your topic is a very dangerous one to relate to openly in light of the answers a person could decide for themself. As mentioned by others, one would have to be very carefull what information they gave you, off line maybe a better way, however finding a Catholic Priest or a known christian psychologist or counsellor would be better.
God bless you I hope you find your answer.
 
Psycological illnesses, I think, are one of the most difficult areas to address within the faith.

I suggest reading the catechism on the subject… here are a few links and quotes…
usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art10.htm
982
There is no offense, however serious, that the Church cannot forgive. "There is no one, however wicked and guilty, who may not confidently hope for forgiveness, provided his repentance is honest."529 Christ who died for all men desires that in his Church the gates of forgiveness should always be open to anyone who turns away from sin.530
usccb.org/catechism/text/pt3sect1chpt1art8.htm
II. The Definition of Sin
1849
Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity. It has been defined as "an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law."121
III. The Different Kinds of Sins
1852
There are a great many kinds of sins. Scripture provides several lists of them. The Letter to the Galatians contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit: "Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God."127
IV. The Gravity of Sin: Mortal and Venial Sin
1854
Sins are rightly evaluated according to their gravity. The distinction between mortal and venial sin, already evident in Scripture,129 became part of the tradition of the Church. It is corroborated by human experience.
1855
Mortal sin destroys charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God’s law; it turns man away from God, who is his ultimate end and his beatitude, by preferring an inferior good to him.
Code:
Venial sin allows charity to subsist, even though it offends and wounds it.
1857
For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: "Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent."131
Also, note that when dealing with mental illnesses, the question arises as to whether or not the person had “full knowledge and deliberate consent” regarding the sin…

HTH…
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top