2023-09-15 01:38:14
Addressing the relationship between faith and mental health is something that Christian psychologist Marisa Lobo considers to be extremely important. After ministering at an event that, according to her, brought together 300 young people on a retreat, the specialist gave an exclusive interview to GospelMaiswhere he took the opportunity to issue a warning to the Church of Christ.
Author of the book Families in Danger e Gender Ideology in EducationMarisa Lobo has published articles endorsing what other public figures, such as journalist Rodrigo Constantino, have been pointing out as an object of great concern, which is the emotional state of today’s youth.
In the interview, the specialist agrees with a recent statement by Constantino, made in an article for the magazine West, where he pointed out that some of the main pillars of society, such as “structured family (home security), sense of belonging (patriotism) and religion (moral sense)” are being attacked. Read in full below:
We are in Yellow September, and we would like to know what you have observed regarding the role of the Church in dealing with emotional disorders.
Historically, the Church has always been an important ally in mental health prevention and care, as it has always sought to have a humanized view of the patient, since emotional suffering is real and can be as degrading as any illness.
When we talk about suicidal ideation, for example, encouraging faith as a tool for overcoming problems has been a very valuable resource, and I believe that the attack on religion, promoted in recent decades by some sectors, has only harmed those who really promote health .
Youth event held with Christian psychologist Marisa Lobo. Photo: personal archive
In terms of inclusion, reception and support for patients and their families, there is no doubt that the Church, as a community, is our greatest ally.
So, is it possible to say that the Church has managed to overcome prejudices regarding psychological disorders, not spiritualizing everything it sees ahead?
We still need to improve in these aspects, such as the scientific understanding of mental and emotional disorders. It’s not easy because we, as Christians, believe in the spiritual world and we know how it also influences us.
In any case, I also believe we are managing to distinguish things better, recognizing real psychological problems, even when associated with something we are not aware of. In other words, to factors popularly attributed to the supernatural. In this sense, the Church’s contribution has been much more positive and has evolved over time.
Regarding young people, is there any demand that we can consider their care as a matter of urgency?
Based on the trips I make throughout Brazil and abroad, ministering, talking about family, mental health, education, depression and other related topics, I can say that it is urgent to take care of the identity formation of young people, because the current generation is a whose identity has been heavily attacked.
Marisa Lobo ministering about faith and mental health. Photo: personal archive
We have children growing up without knowing, for example, whether they are boys or girls, because they are being induced by narratives that deny the biological reality of sex to the detriment of an ideology. The same can be said regarding the moral pillars, historically linked to the appreciation of family and faith in God.
All of this has to do with identity formation, and that is why its deconstruction represents a great threat to young people, as it directly impacts the way they see themselves and place themselves in the world, consequently on their entire emotional state.
In relation to pastors, there is a lot of news about cases of suicide resulting from emotional illnesses. Is there, among leaders, any sign of acting in relation to mental health care in a preventive manner?
I have seen many worried pastors. Some are mobilizing, creating support groups, where some shepherd others, which is very good, because a large part of the emotional problems linked to the religious leader is the “weight” of the responsibility for the leadership role, and also ministerial loneliness.
We already have statistics showing that most pastors feel lonely, ministerially speaking. In other words, they care, but they are not cared for, which is a big problem, because it makes it seem like the leader is immune to emotional illness, which is false.
Hence the importance of mutuality and the recognition that no one should walk alone.
The biblical model of family, as we know, has been greatly attacked by ideological liberalism. As a Christian psychologist, do you consider that these attacks may be contributing to the emotional illness of young people?
Without a doubt, it is because in the family that the child begins the formation of values. The child’s world is interpreted, firstly, through their relationship with their family. Therefore, the emotional structure that young people carry throughout their lives is largely the result of their family experience.
Event with psychologist Marisa Lobo brought together around 300 young Christians. Photo: personal archive
It is no coincidence that, according to statistics, the majority of young prisoners come from dysfunctional families. Liberal attacks on the family, therefore, especially on the figure of paternal authority, represent an attack on the basis of the moral and, consequently, behavioral formation of young people.
What recommendations would you give to leaders, conventions and religious entities, in general, regarding mental health care?
Invest heavily in the subject, for example, promoting seminars, courses, lectures and other activities on the subject. Obviously, this does not need to be dissociated from everything we believe in the religious sphere. Quite the opposite!
As Christians, faith in God is our greatest foundation, as well as the starting point from which we interpret the world. However, this does not mean that we should not understand how this world, in this case science, understands mental health. By doing this, we will have a broader, more precise vision, better able to get more things right and make fewer mistakes.
#Psychologist #spoke #young #people #warns #faith #mental #health