It has not been proven that chemical imbalances in the brain cause so-called "mental illnesses" and there is no test that can be done on a live human being to determine whether or not there is a chemical imbalance in the brain.
But there is. Parkinson's, for instance, is the result of a chemical imbalance in the brain. There is no blood test or lab test to prove it. It's diagnosed based on symptoms alone.
How do you think they come up with SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) medications? It's not a lucky guess they are taking. SSNI's (norepinephrine) meds are the same way. These meds are also proven to work or they wouldn't be so widely used.
I do agree, however, that testing is not accurate, but it's that way for almost every disease. Multiple sclerosis isn't diagnosed sometimes for several years after the first symptoms are seen. There is no blood or lab test. It's diagnosed based on symptoms alone.
Muscular dystrophy and other illnesses and diseases that are controlled by chemicals and/or nerve impulses cannot be accurately diagnosed by a blood or diagnostic test. They are diagnosed by symptoms alone.
Heart arrhythmias are many times caused by a chemical imbalance. Correct the imbalance and the arrythmia goes away. The difference here is, there is a blood test for it, however, some arrythmias have nothing to do with chemicals, so even if the imbalance is corrected (should one exist), the symptoms continue.
Most of medical science is a lucky guess. That's why they call it 'practicing medicine'. It's not an absolute science, but it is fact that people suffer from illnesses and diseases and they must be dealt with.
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I read a personal website of a woman today that disturbed me. She mentioned having once had a chemical imbalance as a teen but God delivered her and she was healed. That is a great thing, but it was her statement about how mental illnesses and sicknesses are caused by spirits that disturbed me.
She said 'if you don't believe that, find anyone in the Bible who was nuts and wasn't possessed.'
There is a stigma that exists among us all, not just Apostolics, that people with mental problems are possessed by demons.
I believe that it's possible, and I know that it's happened, but I know of people who suffered from physical sicknesses that, when demons were cast out, their illness was healed. Yet we don't believe that everyone with cancer (for instance) is possessed by a demon, right?
The brain is a strange organ. So little is known about how it works compared to the rest of our bodies, yet, just like other organs, it can become sick.
A chemical imbalance in your pancreas causes Type 2 diabetes. Chemical imbalances in your kidneys will cause renal failure. Chemical imbalances in your heart are indicative of a heart attack.
Chemical imbalances in the brain can cause Parkinson's. I have yet to find anyone who claims Parkinson's is a result of demon possession. Yet it's a chemical imbalance that causes it.
Physiological changes in the brain cause diseases like Alzheimer's, Huntington's Chorea, and Pick's disease, to name a few. However, the signs exhibited by those who suffer from those diseases are akin to mental illnesses many times.
The church doesn't appear to address this issue often, except to pray demons out of sufferers. Depression is a large problem in the church, but people are told to get out more and pray about it.
Our moods are caused by chemical secretions in the brain. Whether we are happy, sad, angry, depressed, or indifferent, how we feel is dependent on the chemicals being secreted in the brain. So why do we feel that abnormalities in the brain aren't as important as abnormalities in other organs, or that a demon is involved?
Shouldn't the church start addressing these issues more often? Should people be a little more educated about mental diseases and illnesses?
What say ye?
I believe the church should get that person to a doctor for a full check-up. I share this story before how a bro in the church begin to act strange toward his wife and kids of 11 years yelling, screaming throwing stuff.
This guy was the nicer person, he took care of the three small kids while his wife open her own wedding dress sewing store and he always help other as well, plus he was third generation member so he was well-known.Then he became like another person a stranger over the next few months according to his wife and church members, they said he had a demon, the pastor told his wife to leave him.
To make a long story short this bro spent the next six months homeless sleeping outside on the church steps, were member step over him to get inside. Finally someone went around the pastor and call the police who picked him up, and later took him to a mental ward were the doctor's diagnosed an inoperable brain tumor that was crushing his brain and causing his madness .
This bro died three months later in a coma never to wakeup. When we heard about this story we contacted the sister she confirmed it was true, she felt awful that she didn’t get him the help he needed and maybe he still be alive. This happen back in 99.
For the most part I tend to embrace a belief that mental illness is demonic in its essence, while physical illness, other than those inflicted through injury of some type, are representative of a judgment from God. Yes, I know! I can almost feel the heat and hear the yells of those who would be quick to refute this assertion, however, I beg of you to bear with me for a few moments as I endeavor to explain.
For God speaketh ONCE, yea TWICE, yet man perceiveth it NOT. The important question which confronts us as we read these words MUST be this - "Through what means does God attempt to communicate with man, yet he PERCEIVETH it not? We discover the answer within the context of the following passages:
"In a DREAM, in a VISION of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; THEN (i.e., at that time) he OPENETH the ears of men, and SEALETH their instruction, (and He does this so) that he may WITHDRAW MAN FROM HIS PURPOSER, and HIDE PRIDE from man. (Through this means) He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword (i.e., the Word of God)
But, as Paul Harvey says, "Here's the rest of the story!"
He is CHASTENED also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain: (so much) so that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat. His flesh is consumed away, (so) that is cannot be seen; and his bones (which) were not seen stick out. Yes, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers.
By these passages we find that God often INFLICTS man, saint and sinner alike, with sickness, and this for the express purpose of attempting to gain man's attention, thereby causing him to re-direct his footsteps. Please note that God does NOT bring such SICKNESS upon man to destroy him, rather to steer him in the pathways of righteousness. And, IF there be a messenger with him (the afflicted), an interpreter, one among a thousand, to SHEW unto man his (God's) uprightness: THEN he (God) is gracious unto him, and saith, DELIVER him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom. That "RANSOM" can be found at the foot of the old rugged cross, where they crucified our Lord.
(Note: added emphasis within scriptural passages quoted are my own & have been inserted for the purpose of explanation ONLY.)
Submitted for prayerful consider of its scriptural merits.
While I can agree with your post in some cases of illness, it doesn't explain why there are righteous people who suffer with illness all their lives.
Life happens. Illness and disease is a part of life. When sin entered the world, so did sickness. Just like the fact that babies die, illness in us all is a part of the life process, not necessarily a judgment of God or the devil's doing.
I like how your post is put together, however, and I agree with it as it is.
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I believe the church should get that person to a doctor for a full check-up. I share this story before how a bro in the church begin to act strange toward his wife and kids of 11 years yelling, screaming throwing stuff.
This guy was the nicer person, he took care of the three small kids while his wife open her own wedding dress sewing store and he always help other as well, plus he was third generation member so he was well-known.Then he became like another person a stranger over the next few months according to his wife and church members, they said he had a demon, the pastor told his wife to leave him.
To make a long story short this bro spent the next six months homeless sleeping outside on the church steps, were member step over him to get inside. Finally someone went around the pastor and call the police who picked him up, and later took him to a mental ward were the doctor's diagnosed an inoperable brain tumor that was crushing his brain and causing his madness .
This bro died three months later in a coma never to wakeup. When we heard about this story we contacted the sister she confirmed it was true, she felt awful that she didn’t get him the help he needed and maybe he still be alive. This happen back in 99.
This is yet another example. Our brain is quite complex. It affects everything in our bodies from how our organs operate to our moods and personality.
Pick's disease and Huntington's Chorea are also examples of how the brain, when it deteriorates, affects the victim in such a way that mental problems are the result. The only person I ever saw with Pick's was a man who was just a semester away from his Master's degree when he started exhibiting strange behaviors.
Three years later, he lives in a mental institution and is erratic. He is destructive, unpredictable, and obsessed with water in cups. Yet he will die of his affliction, as did his mother years ago. In the meantime, he is on major psychotropic meds to control his behaviors, as he cannot help himself. It's sad.
There are many brain illnesses, and in many cases, the only way to treat them are with psychotropic drugs for the behaviors.
__________________
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Mental retardation, autism, and Asperger's are just a few of the brain disorders in which diagnosis is made upon symptoms, not blood or diagnostic tests. Most often, people with these afflictions are put on psychotropic meds to control their behaviors that result from their illness.
__________________
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One time at a ladies retreat, a woman went up to the speaker and claimed that God delivered her of a mental illness and gave her meds to the speaker who immediately held them up and announced that this woman had been healed. It scared me and I thought that wisdom would have had the speaker tell the woman that that was wonderful but before she went off her meds to please speak with her doctor and pastor.
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