Tag: Psychiatry

God and Medication: Can Faith and Treatment Coexist?

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If you’ve ever struggled with your mental health or chronic illness and considered medication, I’m almost certain that you will have heard something similar to the following, at least once: “You don’t need meds, just pray harder”, “God is a healer – why rely on medication?” or “Medication is just a crutch; real healing comes from faith.”

These kinds of messages can make us feel guilty for seeking medical help, as if choosing medication means we’re somehow failing in our faith. But here’s what I want to explore today: Can faith and treatment coexist? Can you trust God and take medication? (If you want a quick answer and spoiler then here it is – yes, you absolutely can). So, let’s talk about why.

Let’s be real – there is still a lot of stigma around medication, just in society in general. Thankfully this stigma seems to be lessening over time, but that doesn’t mean it has disappeared. And here’s the thing – mental illness is not always a spiritual issue – but it is always a medical one. Just like some people with diabetes require insulin, mental health conditions sometimes require medication. This doesn’t mean you have a lack of faith, it just means that your brain needs medical support.

Consider this: if someone has high blood pressure, do we tell them to stop their medication and just pray more? No, we would encourage them to use the tools they have available to them – medication included – but to also trust God at the same time.

There is a misconception that if you take medication it means you don’t trust God enough. But look at it from this point of view – what happens if medication is one of the ways that God can provide healing? James 1:17 says:

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.”

God has given the wisdom to doctors, scientists and researchers to create medication that can help people. If we believe that God can work through doctors and medicine for physical healing, why wouldn’t we consider this when it comes to mental health?

Faith and medication can work together in a number of ways:

  1. Medication can help stabilise you so you can work on recovery – it doesn’t mean that you are taking a shortcut or avoiding deeper healing. It can give you the stability that you need to do the deeper work.
  2. Seeking medical help can be viewed as a form of stewardship – in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, we are reminded that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Taking care of our mental and physical health – including using medication – is a way of honouring God by looking after our bodies.
  3. God can work through science – God isn’t against medication – after all, he created the minds that develop it. Throughout history, God has used human knowledge and ability to bring healing.

I’m not going to sit here and tell you that you must try medication – it’s a personal choice and isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. But there are things you can do when you are considering whether or not to try meds.

  1. Pray for wisdom – ask God to guide you. Philippians 4:6 reminds us to bring everything to God in prayer.
  2. Get advice from others – talk to doctors, family, friends and discuss your concerns and questions. If you talk to someone from your church, find someone who understands both faith and mental health.
  3. Remember that God can use multiple ways for healing – sometimes healing is instant (and this is what we all hope for, isn’t it?) but other times, it’s something that takes time, treatment, therapy, and spiritual growth. Trust that God can work through all of these options.

Jeremiah 30:17 says:

“‘But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the Lord.“

God cares about your healing, in every sense – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. If medication is part of that process for you, it doesn’t mean you lack faith. It means you are using the resources that God has made available for you.

All my love,

Anna x

Post Your Pill – Why There is No Shame in Taking Psychiatric Medication

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Three years ago Dr Alex George decided to post a picture of himself holding the medication that he takes for his mental health. The idea behind it was to challenge the stigma around medication and mental health. When he first started taking medication he felt ashamed – a feeling that so many people have felt at the prospect of needing medication to help manage their mental health. Since then thousands and thousands of people have also joined in, posting pictures of their medication on the 1st of every month in an attempt to help remove the shame and stigma associated with meds.

I used to think that taking psychiatric medication was something to be ashamed of. I worried it made me ‘weak’ or demonstrated that I wasn’t trying hard enough. There was a part of me that believed that I should simply ‘push through’ and try to manage on my own. But here’s the truth: there is NO shame in taking medication for your mental health. Those thoughts that I had were planted by a society that still stigmatises mental health struggles and the tools we use to manage them.

When someone needs glasses to see clearly, insulin to manage diabetes or an inhaler because they have asthma, there is no hesitation. We simply accept that they need medication to help. So why is there so much stigma around mental health medication? Your brain is just as much a part of your body as any other organ and, sometimes, you need extra help.

Psychiatric medication doesn’t change who you are as a person. It doesn’t erase your personality or take away your emotions. It simply helps to create space for you to be more yourself.

Medication for mental health is just a different part of the ‘toolkit’ you can use to manage your mental health, just like talking therapy is a different way to benefit yourself. It doesn’t get rid of your struggles or do the work for you, but it does help make things more manageable. It can clear the fog long enough for you to engage in support like therapy and to help you implement the tools that you need in your day-to-day life. For some people it is medication that can get you to a point where you can get out of bed in the morning. For others it helps to lessen the anxiety that you feel or to manage unwanted thoughts and feelings.

It’s not a perfect process by any stretch of the imagination either. Finding the right medication and dosage can take a long time – I tried 11 different medications at various doses and for varying lengths of time before landing on a combination that works for me. I still struggle, and it doesn’t really help lift my mood much, but it definitely helps prevent me from hitting rock bottom. And choosing to explore the option of medication and being open to the possibility of taking meds isn’t a failure, it’s another way of saying “I deserve to feel better, and I am willing to try whatever it takes.”

Meds don’t come without potential complications, either. They can make things worse to begin with, and they take a while to fully kick in. There are also potential side effects to contend with (and sometimes additional meds needed to combat various side effects) or withdrawals if you are coming off a medication you’ve taken for a long time. But by acknowledging that you deserve to feel better you are deciding that your mental health matters and that you are wanting to take care of yourself. This isn’t a sign of weakness – it’s a sign of incredible strength.

If you’re on medication for your mental health, considering it, or simply curious about what it could do for you, remember this: there is no right or wrong way to look after your mental health. Some people find healing in therapy, some by exercising, some by taking medication. Often it is a combination of different approaches that can make the most difference. And if you’re feeling hesitant or alone because of the stigma, know that you are not alone. Here is what I wish I could tell my younger self:

Taking care of your mental health – however that may be – is an act of love. You are not weak. You are not broken. You are brave, resilient, and deserving of every tool available to help you live the life you want.

So, let’s keep talking about this. Let’s challenge the stigma and remind each other that there’s no shame in doing what you need to feel better. Because you – and your mental health – are worth it.

All my love,

Anna x