Mental Health: When you think of the words “physical health”, what
images come into your mind?
When you think of the words “mental health”,
what images come into your mind? Most people’s response to the first
question is that of a gym, running, cycling or muscular men or women;
positive imagery. People typically answer the second question with
thoughts of stress, depression, anxiety, struggling to cope; negative
imagery.
The truth is that we all have a mental health which, just like
our physical health, can be in a good state or a poor state. But our
society has long stigmatised ‘mental health’ such that it automatically
has negative connotations when we hear that term mentioned. Not
surprising really, since the conditions associated with a poor mental
health are so prevalent in our modern, hectic world.
How does that link
to us as Christians?