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Faith · 01-18-2011, 07:41 PM

It's much more important to be scripturally sound than to be mentally healthy. Angel

06-26-2012, 09:23 AM

(01-13-2011 03:21 PM)Kevin Wrote: I am in a church right now that is very big into the Biblical Counseling movement (NANC, CCEF). At first, I was very excited about this movement, as they taught some very clear biblical principles that I had never heard in Fundamentalism, and they applied God's word to their lives, which I had also not done in Fundamentalism.

However, I am concerned by a few of the basic tenets of the movement. They might not say these outright, but they are implied which I know by experience in IFB world can be just as important (or more important).
1. There is no such thing as mental illness, it is simply your conscience reacting to guilt or sin.
2. The Bible is the "sole authority" for life - prooftext is "everything we need for life and godliness" - I think the Bible should be the main but not the only
3. The idea that I must do something to grow and be more like Christ - I am not an advocate of apathetic Christianity, but the emphasis on giving counselees homework to do followed by consequences if they don't complete has alerted my IFB meter.
4. The constant push in church to give more, serve more, la da da da da. - maybe I am just getting apathetic?

I was interested in people's opinion of this form of counseling. Is this just fundie theology stretching out to evangelicalism? There are some great aspects of this counseling, but also some things that give me pause as well.

Some of it is good, but it can be very dangerous. A friend of mine, whose Mom is clinically depressed, talked him Mom into going to a Biblical Counselor. They told her to stop taking her meds. She did and she almost killed herself. It was horrendous for her and her family. The idea that no one ever needs meds is ridiculous.

**Naomi** · 06-26-2012, 10:19 AM

(06-26-2012 09:23 AM)Bob M Wrote: They told her to stop taking her meds. She did and she almost killed herself. It was horrendous for her and her family.

That's practicing medicine without a license, and if it hasn't yet been reported as a crime, please consider doing so.

**Phatchick** · 06-26-2012, 11:17 AM

(06-26-2012 10:19 AM)Naomi Wrote:
(06-26-2012 09:23 AM)Bob M Wrote: They told her to stop taking her meds. She did and she almost killed herself. It was horrendous for her and her family.

That's practicing medicine without a license, and if it hasn't yet been reported as a crime, please consider doing so.

AMEN! I honestly would not be able to function well without mine. I have tried being weaned off them and within a couple of weeks I'm right back to depression and panic attacks. I'm not saying they're not over prescribed but some of us do need them and when we do not taking them is as bad as a diabetic or someone with MS forgetting their meds.

lucrezaborgia · 06-26-2012, 06:12 PM

You can take my meds when you pry them out of my cold dead hands!

notdrinkingthekoolaid · 06-26-2012, 11:59 PM

I have been on meds in the past and was able to wean off them. I know that's not the case for everyone. For me...meds in conjunction with counseling from a licensed therapist made a difference. The meds helped me get in a good headspace to be able to deal with the issues at hand and eventually I was able to work through some things and back off the meds. I know they are there and they have been effective for me in the past, so in the future if I need them again, I will use them.

**Tiarali** · 06-27-2012, 04:45 AM

(06-26-2012 10:19 AM)Naomi Wrote:
(06-26-2012 09:23 AM)Bob M Wrote: They told her to stop taking her meds. She did and she almost killed herself. It was horrendous for her and her family.

That's practicing medicine without a license, and if it hasn't yet been reported as a crime, please consider doing so.

I talked to my pastor and told him my daughter was getting worse (depressed) and that I was going to take her to the hospital, and he convinced me not to and had a woman in the church talk to my daughter instead. He said she was trained... well I'm sure she has a certificate from some christian college lol but thankfully I was watching and when my daughter continued to get worse I took her to the doctor.

The kicker? The pastor's wife is dealing with clinical depression. She's entitled to hospital care - why are the lower classes in the church not?

lucrezaborgia · 06-27-2012, 09:13 PM

(06-26-2012 11:59 PM)notdrinkingthekoolaid Wrote: I have been on meds in the past and was able to wean off them. I know that's not the case for everyone.

My genius mother used my unwitting husband to gang up on me to get me to try to wean off. NEVER AGAIN! I refuse to listen to people who are not medical professionals involved in my case anymore.