Spirituality as a Coping Skill for Mental Illness

                                        By

                        Anthony Joseph Hopkins

Mental illness alone is very challenging for more than 40 million people living in the United States. People who struggle with the diagnosis of a mental illness find themselves struggling to make it. Frankly, there are people, who turn to their faith in God just to make it. Personally, I suffer from schizoid affective disorder. I have been suffering from a mental illness for almost 22 years now. Why having a serious mental illness would is so difficult?

 For me, I hear voices that are not the Holy Spirit. In my report, I have found that spirituality is an often overlooked resource in mental illness recovery. My assessment of religious or spiritual beliefs are under researched, and in most cases, it is laughed at by the Mental Health Community. Honestly, most psychiatrist refuse to actually listen to their patients. Many psychiatrist and therapist that I have consulted with during the past 22 years, feel that my spirituality is pointless.

I will admit that I have benefitted from pastoral counseling more than consulting with a psychiatrist and therapist. There are three main reasons how people with a mental illness cope with their problem. First, through spirituality, as well as relying on a power that is greater than the person themselves. As for me, I attend Fort McKinley United Methodist Church. The address to the church is 3721 West Siebenthaler Avenue Dayton, Ohio 45406. I have attended Fort McKinley Church for 7 years now.

 It helps me to cope much better with a mental illness by attending church as well as Bible study during the week. I feel a whole lot better when I am at church. Second, there are over 50 million people who have been diagnosed with a mental illness and a substance abuse problem. This statistic comes from the National Institute of Mental Health. People who suffer from a mental illness, at least some of them drink alcohol or self-medicate themselves just to cope with their problem. Third, another coping mechanism that some people have used is suicide. I remember on February 13, 2010; I tried to kill myself because I was responding to internal stimuli.

The voices that I was hearing told me to kill myself. Smolak, Gearing, Alonzo, Baldwin, Harmon, and McHugh (2013) reflected and reviewed 43 original research studies over the past 30 years. These people have discovered that patterns that were related or pertaining to religious beliefs and a patient’s recovery from a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia.

 This observation found that religion and spirituality have a mostly positive association with mental illness recovery. However, the intensive observation indicated that spiritual perceptions of family, caregivers, the community at large, and professionals affiliated to the mental illness saw tremendous progress.

 The results pointed out that religious themes were often evident in the perception of disease etiology, that family members and caregivers used religion as well as religious based professionals over mental health professionals. I would admit that working with a Pastor each week is much more feasible than dealing with a psychiatrist on a monthly basis. However, this report has better reflections of the patient.

 It also has a better understanding of a patient’s spiritual and religious beliefs as it assists in improving coping with a mental illness better than relying on medication. Religion and spirituality in conjunction with mental illness recovery remained historically under emphasized and minimized by mental health professionals. This means that spirituality will have to be emphasized by the patient themselves as a means to better cope with their mental illness.

The report finished with the idea of how enhancing the treatment provider’s awareness of a patient’s religious and spiritual interaction may improve treatment outcomes. I would like to say that religion and spirituality is not emphasized during an average consultation or therapy session. The majority of professionals prefer the use of medication to eradicate mental illness. Corrigan, McCorkle, Schell, and Kidder (2003) studied a total of 1,824 patients living with serious mental illness, who also had significant functional disability, but did not engage in substance abuse.

The information pointed out that the self-reporting of spirituality and religion as well as measured outcomes in psychological well-being, psychiatric symptoms, and life goal achievement such as employment and housing. This study determined whether religion and spirituality yielded similar benefits in the lives of people challenged and suffering from a serious mental illness, but also determined if those same people benefitted differently from religion. The patient’s themselves participated in community activities and common ways of worshipping versus spirituality defined as thinking about one’s self as part of a larger spiritual force. (P. 488). This study found that patients who self-identified as religious or spiritual has a much greater sense of well-being, better coping skills, and diminished psychiatric symptoms.  There was also no difference in quality of life as far as employment and/or housing.

People who suffer from a serious mental illness usually advocate and assert that religion and spirituality serve essential recovery roles in that they may provide useful coping skills to help with stressors.  Also, as previously noted, mental health professionals tend not to be very religious; therefore, the differences between professionals and patients may lead to a gap in treatment as professionals fail to ask about beliefs.

This could lead to a failure to explore religion or spirituality as a means towards a therapeutic end.  There are conclusions from this study.  The raw facts suggests there may be a need for faith based programs to be integrated into recovery programs for people with serious mental illness.  In the future, more research is needed to determine the role of faith based programs and to more thoroughly examine the causes and effects of spirituality in the lives of people who suffer from mental illness.

In all cases, this study and examination serves to remind mental health professionals of the central role religion or spirituality often play in the lives of patients and to the fact that sensitivity to the patient’s needs in this area lead professionals to helping the patient find appropriate services and resources.

Women and minorities struggles with mental illness are much more intense than other races.  These patients were more likely to be religious and more likely to turn to their faith as a means of coping, getting better, and staying healthy.  These patients length of stay in a psychiatric ward was significantly shorter for patients who attend worship services or used religious thoughts and activities as one of the most important strategies to deal with their mental illness.

An initial spiritual assessment should focus on determining how patient’s spiritual beliefs and practices influences their functioning and recovery.  By doing so, mental health professionals will likely uncover strengths and resources that can be utilized to foster recovery.  Mental Health Professionals can also help patients focus on their capabilities and resilience as well as accessing and using other positive recovery oriented narratives drawn from the patient’s spiritual worldview in order to address their problems more efficiently.

Spiritual Assessment within the mental health area is under researched and given that spirituality and/or religion is identifiably a magnificent and positive part of serious mental illness recovery.  This needs to be a more widely researched and utilized avenues of social science.  In a society where mental illness can be isolating and stigmatizing label; spirituality can be a core identity to which almost everyone can find a community or ways to help make life with serious mental illness worth living.

References

1. Corrigan, P., McCorkle, B., & Kidder, K. (2003). Religion and Spirituality in the lives of people with serious mental illness.  Community Mental Health Journal, 39(6) 487-99

2. Smolak, A., Gearing, R. E., Alonzo, D., Baldwin, S., Harmon, S., & McHugh, K. (2013). Social Support and Religion: Mental health service use and treatment of schizophrenia. Community Mental Health Journal 49(4) 444-50

What is a mother? This is a very important blog that pertains to the importance of motherhood. I started this blog off by asking this very important question because motherhood has numerous of definitions. What is a mother? A mother is a female who according to God is a helper or a companion for man. A female is the flesh of man; meaning that God has created woman from the womb of a man. The man himself whose name is Adam. Eve is her name; which was selected by Adam himself because she was created through the rib of him as he was sleeping. Next, the purpose of woman is to take care of children, and to become a helper for man. A mother is a person who is a doctor, teacher, counselor, and even a father to her own children; if their father is not around. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, at least 55% of single parent households are conducted by women. This means that single women are taking care of their own children all by themselves. However, when I was a child, my mother raised 9 children all by herself. This means that my mother had to raise 6 boys and 3 girls all by herself. Although my stepfather was physically present inside of the home. It was my mother who was responsible for doing the majority of the work. I know that Mother’s Day really mean a whole to me as a man. I salute my mother on this very special day for always being there for me. I salute my grandmother who is also responsible for raising me as a little boy in Dayton, Ohio to the man that I am today. In addition, my mother and two grandmothers raised me to become a very responsible person. I still remember my eldest grandmother taking me to Bethel Church of God in Christ in Dayton, Ohio as a little boy for several years. My grandparents raised me as well as my mother who taught me a lot about on how to be responsible and assisting me with my siblings as well. They have instilled in me social and moral values that I need to become a mature adult. My mother and grandmothers are the three women who are elders who I give credit in my life when it comes to learning about the opposite sex. My aunt taught me how to develop a strong work ethic as well as my mother and grandmothers. The elder women in my family did not tolerate any foolishness. My grandmothers and mother always told me if I wanted something out of life, I had to work hard for it. Moreover, independence is something that my mother and female elders in my family have taught me. My mother always told me as a child to always work really hard at anything that you want out of life; without asking anyone for anything. I was also told to always try to get anything for myself first before seeking help from anyone else. Always rely on God and Jesus Christ for all of my help!!! My great aunt has always taught me a great deal about striving for success. I called my mother’s best friend my great aunt because she has always been a motivator when it comes to education.

She has earned two masters degrees from college and I really miss her whole lot. When I felt like giving up; she was always there to inspire me and motivate me so that I can stay positive and focus on the future. A mother is a leader, teacher, supporter, life coach, philosopher, police officer, and president in the family. My mother as well as all of the female elders in my family controlled the household. I thank God for my mother and my female elders in my family. I thank God for my mother because if it wasn’t for my mother I would not exist. When my own biological father had forsaken me; my mother stepped up to the plate and took over and raised me as well as the female elders in my family. I love you mom for being the person that you are in my life.

My mother is queen always in my life. She will always be the queen in my life as well as the woman who I will marry someday. I could not ask for no other person to be her but her. Happy Mother’s Day to each and every single woman who are mothers or those who have the potential to become mothers. This day is for your special day. Happy Mother’s Day!!!!!!

Sincerely,

Anthony Joseph Hopkins

2765 Wentworth Avenue #607

Dayton, Ohio 45406

Very Strong!

Wow! Your logically reasoning skills are incredibly strong! You easily understood and solved each of the questions, making you more logical than the vast majority of people! You may have found this quiz very easy or maybe a bit challenging but without a doubt you took the time to read the instructions carefully, understood the concept and solved each question with cool, calm and collected logic. You’re grounded, responsible, driven and have remarkable logic skills. You take time analyzing situations before making decisions and you always follow your head over your heart. You notice detail and you respond best when dealing with real facts. You’re a natural problem solver and have the ability to grasp difficult concepts. You have clearly earned your bragging rights here! Congratulations!

     Greetings and Salutations Everyone

Greetings and Salutations Everyone!!  My name is Anthony Joseph Hopkins and I would like to focus on my overall personality as a person.  I know that some of this information has already been mentioned yesterday.  However, I want to inform all of you that I am a person, who is very nice.

Next, I want to say that some of my strengths and weaknesses are as follows:  My strengths are compassion, respectful towards others, computer literate, and polite.  I am also the type of person who likes to work things out at my own pace.  I know that my family members are polite.

Moreover, I want to say that I am a very honest person.  I know that I have my faults just like everyone else.  I know that I am not perfect.  I am very respectful towards everyone.  I know that there are times when things tend to get intense with my family members and friends.  I know that I have weaknesses such as maintaining too much distance towards other people. 

Further, I know that I have had issues in the past with my family members and friends.  I know that my life consisted of ups and downs.  I know that my family members and I tend to call each other names from time to time.  I know that I have been too quiet most of the time. 

In Addition, I want to inform all of you that I am very frank and transparent.  I know that I have been doing things when I get ready.  I used to be a stubborn person at times.  I know that I have been trying to contain my use of vulgarity.  My parents told me that using vulgarity does not make me a very pleasant person.  It only makes things worse. 

Also; when I was a child, I used to be all by myself all of the time.  I know that at times, I can be extremely quiet.  I usually do not say anything.  I want to inform all of you that I have character defects.  Some of my character defects are as follows:  I can get so angry that I tend use vulgarity.

  Whenever I get angry, I go take a walk to the park and sit down all by myself.  I love pets of all types.  I used to raise chow chow dogs for a total of 9 years.  I also had one golden retriever dog.  All three of my dogs were loyal to me.  Animal Therapy helps me to cope with stressors that are in my life at the present time. 

I want to say that I am a very nice person overall.  I know that I am respected by all of my family members and friends.  I really feel that I am too honest and truthful.  I really miss my family members, who have passed away.  I used to be an emotional person.  My mother prescribed me a stimulant just to mellow me out behaviorally.  I have taken meds for years.

Some of my character defects are impulsive behaviors.  I know that I have been trying to put things into perspective.  I know that my family members and friends have different personalities.  I am a person who knows how to converse with everyone that I am in contact with each day.  In a way, this reminds me of a 6^th Step in Alcoholic Anonymous.

 The 6^th Step says that we ask God to remove all of these defects of character. 

I am asking God to remove all of my personal character defects.  I know that my AA Sponsor and I have parted ways with each other.  I am sad because he has been my AA Sponsor for 12 years.  I had to get a new AA Sponsor and he is very humble. 

I know that I am a person who is very understanding.  I am an excellent public speaker.  I know that I have resolved a lot of my active issues from the past.  I know that I am a person who knows how to solve my personal problems.

Finally, I want to say that I love all of God’s Creation.  I really love animals very much.  I used to take care of my cats for at least 7 years in the Dayton, Ohio Area.  My cats were named Scrappy and Fluffy.  These cats were considered as domestic shorthair tabby cats.  My cats really loved me for the person that I am.  I was responsible for feeding them tuna fish and sardines.

In Conclusion, I want to inform all of you that my animals comforted me.  I know that Jesus Christ is supposed to comfort me at all times.  It is that animals are very adorable.  I love my animals so much that people used to get upset because I am around my cats.

 It really does not make any sense for someone to get upset because I am seeking love and affection from an animal.  I know that I only wish that I could obtain my pictures and videos of me with my cats and dogs.  I really want to say that I love myself a whole lot.  I know that my family members are always concerned about me.

My friends tend to have a point of view that is different from my family members.  I am saying that I had to make amends with my friends and family members for the past 15 years now.  I know that my life is what I really make of it.  This is the truth about everyone who exists on Earth.  Life is literally what you make of it.