Why The Social Justice Mindset Is BAD For Mental Health!

 

In modern times there is a phenomenon that has swept our world by storm and has even infiltrated many churches within the Body of Christ too. What is this cultural phenomenon you ask? It is called the Social Justice Warrior mindset. As someone who was once a huge proponent of this mindset, I am very familiar with this movement. I used to think of myself as a revolutionary who was merely "fighting for the rights of the oppressed minority". In reality, however, I was actually expressing very racist rhetoric that was harming not only other people but it was harming my own mental health. If it seems odd that I am saying it was harming my own mental health, it is because you have never heard anyone talking about the Social Justice Mindset in such a way. In this blog, I shall be discussing five different ways that this mindset is harmful to mental health and I hope that after you read this you will understand how dangerous this mentality really is. However, for the people who are living under a rock, I think it would help if I briefly explained what the Social Justice Warrior mindset really is about because there are a lot of misconceptions about it. The Social Justice Warrior mindset is an ideology that supports and promotes Critical Race Theory, LGBTQIA, and Feminism as a whole. This is important to note because some people think that an SJW is someone who just holds to one of these views but in reality, one can only be called a Social Justice Warrior when they support and even promote all three of these ideologies together. On the surface, being a Social Justice Warrior seems like it is honorable and it does have a certain appeal to it too. After all, who does not want to see justice be done on earth? Also, most of us have the desire to want to be a part of something significant and so this mentality makes us feel like we are significant. So, what could actually be so bad about this mindset? I will discuss the five ways this mindset is bad now. 

Perpetual Victimhood Stance: 

This mindset leads the people who hold to it into a state of perpetual victimhood. What I mean by this is the fact that these people are always behaving with some sort of martyr complex. They are always looking to blame someone else and they never take responsibility for their own actions. An example of this is when certain types of people cry racism because a store manager followed them but they fail to acknowledge that they were looking suspicious. Another example is when these people cry foul when the police pull them over but fail to realize that they were pulled over for speeding. These people do not want to take responsibility nor are they even capable of taking responsibility for their behavior. In these people's minds, everything is always other people's fault but never their own. They are always the victim of some kind of nefarious system that is built to be against them. 

Forever Angry:

You can always spot a Social Justice Warrior from miles away because they always seem to be full of anger. It is not righteous anger. The reason that these people are always angry is that they always see themselves as the victims of some sort of abuse. No matter what is going on these people will always find something negative to point out in every situation. Since they are perpetually angry all the time, it leads them to express their anger with some very hateful rhetoric. For example, when I was subscribing to this mindset, I would constantly refer to "white people" as "caucazoids" as a way to dehumanize them. However, when I would refer to them with this term it did not do anything to make me personally feel any better about myself. The problem is these people are so obsessed with their own sense of justice that any kind of justice they receive will never be enough because they literally want blood. 

Isolationist:

People who subscribe to this harmful mentality tend to isolate themselves from anyone in their life who is healthy. The reason for this is that healthy people do not want to be around someone who is constantly negative and angry all the time. So the healthy people tend to avoid people with this mindset and since we are social creatures these people will either be alone with their anger or they will seek out people like them. As a result, these people end up drawing more angry and negative people around them because "misery loves company". These people will then feed off of each other's negativity and anger and pain. 

False Sense of Purpose:

I mentioned earlier in this blog that most of us desire to be something significant in this life. I firmly believe that most of the appeal to the Social Justice Warrior mindset is that it allows its adherents to feel like they are part of something "bigger than themselves". None of us want to think that we are insignificant and this mindset helps us feel important because it makes us feel like we are the catalyst for social reform. These people honestly believe that without them that this world would truly suffer and that it is because of their own brilliance and wit that the world will prosper. This mentality leads them to believe that they offer something to the world that we otherwise would be lost without. 

Entitlement Mentality: 

The final thing that makes this mentality so harmful to mental health is the fact that it leads its adherents into a state of perpetual entitlement. What I mean by this is the fact that these people truly believe that since they are always the victim then the world somehow needs to make things up to them. These people believe that to solve their victimhood the world owes them resources and happiness and comfort. The problem with this is that these people will never be satisfied no matter if they receive anything they ask for. The government can offer to give them a million dollars and it will not be good enough because they will think they deserve much more. The issue is they do not want to work for what they have. They merely want everything given to them because they think that is what they deserve. 

I hope that this blog has shed some light on the dangerous mindset of the Social Justice Warriors and that next time you come across one you will have a better understanding of their mentality. Thanks for reading this blog and may the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all! 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Check out the other ministry website

Should Christians Engage In Inner Child Therapy?

 

If you have been in therapy for any length of time, the chances that you may hear of Inner Child Therapy are extremely high. This type of therapy is very popular amongst therapists and it seems to have a lot of success with individual clients too. However, the question remains should Christians engage in this sort of practice? It may seem like it has a lot of success amongst the average client who engages in therapy, but we should be more concerned with what the Scripture says concerning such practices. Before I answer that question, I need to explain what is Inner Child Therapy. 

What is it exactly? 

From what I understand, Inner Child Therapy is a therapeutic exercise where the client will look back on herself as a child. She will then speak to her "inner child" telling her the affirmations that she would have wanted an adult to tell her when she was a child. The reason this therapeutic technique is very successful is that it allows the client to face some trauma that they experienced in childhood with the adult hindsight that they currently have. Many people really love this exercise because everyone experiences some sort of trauma in their life and it really does feel good to finally process that trauma. Trauma can be something as simple as losing a favorite childhood blanket that one's parents gave them. A traumatic event can trigger a certain core belief that one develops as a child and a core belief can be something such as "I am a bad person". So, what the client would do in Inner Child Therapy is they would speak directly to their "inner child's" core beliefs and tell him or her positive affirmations that would replace their negative core beliefs. Many people resonate with this practice because deep down we all have a deep-seated need to be validated. We all desire and seek validation from someone or something and this form of therapy provides us with that much-desired validation. But, is it biblical? 

What Does The Bible Say? 

The underlying presupposition behind Inner Child Therapy is that children are inherently innocent and thus we should approach our inner child selves as if they are innocent and harmless. The idea is that our inner child selves have been deeply harmed by the world and thus we need to speak positive affirmations into their lives to bring about healing. However, the Bible rejects the notion that children are innocent. Psalm 51:5 tells us, 

"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me"

According to this text, children are naturally born into sin and thus are not innocent. As a result of Original Sin, the heart is "deceitful and wicked above all things" (Jeremiah 17:9). Anyone who honestly believes that children are innocent has never had any experience with children.  So, why should we approach our inner child as if it is innocent when we understand that we are all born inherently corrupt? Already, it seems as if this form of treatment is on some rocky ground. In actuality, we should approach children as if they are "vipers in diapers" as Pastor Voddie Baucham would so eloquently put it. This means that we handle them with care but at the same time we understand that there is nothing good in them.   The idea of reaching out to some innocent "childlike" version of ourselves is nothing more than a myth, not grounded in biblical truth. 

Another problem with this sort of therapy is the idea of looking back into our past for some kind of healing from trauma. The Apostle Paul tells us instead to look forward and forget what is behind us. In Philippians 3:13-14, he tells us, 

"Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus"

While "talking" to our inner child concerning past trauma may seem to provide some relief, ultimately it does us no good to focus on the past. The Apostle Paul knew that if we are to fulfill the calling that the Lord has called us to be doing, we must forsake the past and look forward to what is ahead of us. I can hear the question already being asked by my audience: "So, are you saying that we should never do any work toward facing our trauma?" That is not what I am saying at all. Of course, there is a benefit to working with a therapist in confronting childhood trauma. However, the problem comes when we become hyper-focused on the past and we are no longer looking to what is ahead. If we are so focused on our past, then we are not going to be able to complete the good work that the Lord has for us now. I believe that this is the point that Jesus was making in Luke 9:62 when He says, 

"No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God" 

Finally, the last issue that the Bible has concerning the topic of Inner Child Therapy is that it causes people to be focused too much on the ways of a child when we should instead be focused on what we are to do as adults. The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:11, 

"When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways." 

What Paul is saying here is that there comes a time in our lives when we should not look to the ways of being a child anymore. Instead, we should focus on what the Lord would have us do as grown people. When we were children, it was perfectly acceptable for us to behave as children. However, when we are adults, there is something repulsive about seeing a grown man or woman behaving childishly. I am not saying that an adult must always behave maturely or even that an adult must never have a childish moment either. However, we do not need to look to our inner child selves for some kind of validation. 

What is the Biblical solution? 

You must be wondering right now if Inner Child Therapy is not the right answer to resolving our trauma, then what is the Bible's solution? The answer is quite simple, yet very profound. We are called to not ground our identities in our trauma, but to instead find our validation solely in our identity in Jesus Christ. As the Apostle Paul tells us in Galatians 2:20, 

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." 

Paul tells us that we should so find our identity in Christ that we see Himself living through us. This means that our lives no longer belong to ourselves. No matter what trauma you have faced in this life it does not define who you are. What truly defines who you are is your identity in Christ. What does your identity in Christ mean exactly? It means that we are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9). As a result of this new identity, we are literally new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) and our past no longer has any hold on us. We can finally be free to let go of any trauma and to live our lives free for Jesus Christ who bought us with his precious blood when He sacrificed Himself on our behalf on a roman cross. Three days later, our Lord literally rose from the dead to give us all a new life where we can be in eternal communion with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 

I thank you for taking the time to read my blog and I hope that this has helped you figure out if Inner Child Therapy is appropriate for Christians to engage in. If your therapist or psychiatrist is attempting to get you to engage in this form of therapy, tell them that it goes against your beliefs and ask them to move on to something else. If you have engaged in this therapy, or decide that you want to engage in this therapy, do not fret because according to Romans 8:1 you are not condemned if you are in Christ Jesus. Please pass this blog on to someone that you think may help and leave a comment below. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all! 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check Out The Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Check out the other ministry website

A Biblical Perspective On How To Cultivate Wise Mind

For anyone who has gone through any amount of therapy, the chances that you will most likely hear the terms "Wise Mind", "Emotion Mind", and "Rational Mind" are highly likely. These terms stem from the type of therapy called Dialectal Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and they are backed up by substantial evidence. But, what exactly do these terms even mean and how do they relate to the Christian life? In this blog, I will explain what each of these terms means from a therapeutic standpoint and then I will give the biblical explanation for how you can cultivate the Wise Mind. It is important to know the difference between the "Emotion Mind" and the "Rational Mind" so that you can better know how to use your "Wise Mind". It is also important to know that neither the "Emotion Mind" nor the "Rational Mind" is completely good or bad. Both sides have their good aspects and their bad aspects. I will discuss the pros and cons of both of these in this blog. Do not get discouraged if you find that you do not yet fully encapsulate the "Wise Mind" because it literally takes an entire lifetime to fully understand. Everyone seems to vacillate between these three phases all of their lives so it is perfectly normal for you to not be where you need to be always. 

Emotion Mind: 

The Emotion Mind is when we make decisions based solely off of emotional reasoning. This means that we tend to make our decisions very rashly and impulsively. We do not take the time to properly investigate or think clearly about any given situation. Everything seems to be highly dramatic because we tend to be in "panic mode" and we feel that if we do not act quickly then everything will go wrong/ An example of this is when I found out my mother was homeless, I decided to act impulsively by giving up my home to go out to another state to find her and bring her back to my state. I acted on impulse because I was afraid that if I waited a day longer then something terrible would happen to my mom. Obviously, there are pros and cons to this mindset. One pro to this mindset is that when you are in accord with your emotions, you tend to be more sympathetic to the plight of others. A con about this mindset is that if you are always acting on impulse then you will destroy either your own life or someone else's life or possibly both of your lives. 

Rational Mind: 

Rational Mind is when we tend to think solely about the facts and nothing about the facts. If you imagine Dr. Spock from Star Trek and how he was always thinking purely rationally and showed absolutely no emotion then you have a perfect idea of what this looks like. When we think with our Rational Mind, we tend to not be impulsive and we tend to only make decisions after we have thoroughly thought about every detail exhaustively. Obviously, there are some pros and cons to this mindset as well. One pro is that when we think with our Rational Minds, we will not be quick to make harmful decisions. However, a con about making decisions based on the Rational Mind is that we will not take into consideration how our decisions will affect the emotional well-being of others. We will be so cold and calculative that emotion will never even register in our minds. An example of someone using the Wise Mind is when a husband decides that he will work overtime at the office because he feels his family needs more money, but he neglects to tell his wife who is expecting him home by a certain time for a special anniversary dinner. He may be thinking rationally about what he needs to do to support his family, but he is not considering how his decision will affect his relationship with his wife. 

Wise Mind: 

When we make decisions based off of our Wise Mind, we are taking the best from both our Emotion Mind and our Rational Mind and putting them together. Wise Mind will help us think rationally about any given decision we are about to make without neglecting the emotional effects it will have on other people. This is the preferable mode that we should all strive to make our decisions from. Returning to the example of the husband considering working overtime, if he were thinking with his Wise Mind, he would consider the fact that his wife is preparing a special anniversary dinner for him and so she will be hurt if he does not come home when she is expecting him. He will then think to himself that it probably would not be wise for him to work overtime that night but he could always work overtime the next night instead. Wise Mind would dictate that he should spend his anniversary night with his wife over working late at the office. His income will not suffer if he skips one night of overtime but his relationship may suffer if he misses his anniversary with his wife. 

How The Bible Helps Us Cultivate Wise Mind? 

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction" -Proverbs 1:7 

The word of God tells us that true wisdom begins with the fear of God. When we live our lives in reverence for God, then we will take extra caution to make sure that our lives do not displease Him. This does not mean that we will do this perfectly because we will always struggle with sin. However, this does mean that as the Holy Spirit is sanctifying us, we will strive to live a life that is honoring to our King. We will not want to do anything to bring Him dishonor because our desire is to always please Him. 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." -Proverbs 3:5-6 

I love this simple, yet profound verse. When we are trusting in God with our whole heart, we will acknowledge that only He has infinite wisdom in every situation. This means that we do not have a full understanding over the situations in our lives and thus we cannot ever make an informed decision without consulting with God first. Whenever we are faced with any decision, no matter how big or small they seem to be, we should always take it to God before acting. In everything we are to acknowledge Him always by understanding that His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. We should always bring our anxieties to the Lord as 1 Peter 5:7 tells us, but we should also know that God is currently working out every situation ultimately for our good (Romans 8:28). God alone is sovereign over everything in all creation and so we can trust Him completely. 

I hope that this blog helps you better understand how you can cultivate Wise Mind in your life instead of making decisions based on Emotion Mind or Rational Mind. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and I hope you found this edifying to you and glorifying to God. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all! 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check Out The Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Check out the other CCMH Ministry Website

 

How Do You Help Someone With Mental Illness Who Refuses To Get Help?

 Introduction: 

As some of you may or may not know, I am not the only person in my life who struggles with Schizoaffective Disorder Bipolar Type. I have spoken about my late mother's struggle with this specific mental illness elsewhere, but what many of you do not know about her is that unlike myself she refused treatment all of her life. It did not matter how much I would attempt to reason with her about seeking professional help, she completely disregarded all of my pleas. It is not that she was afraid to seek help, but she honestly did not believe that there was anything wrong with her. This is a common phenomenon amongst those of us who struggle with various mental illnesses (I know I have dealt with this plenty of times myself!). I have found that many people feel at a loss when they have a loved one who struggles with mental illness and will not seek help. These people feel as if everything is hopeless. It is precisely for this reason that I am deciding to write this blog to tell you how to help that specific loved one in your life. The advice in this blog, I believe, will not only help you in understanding your loved one and it will ease your mind too. If you follow the advice in this blog, I know that it will help you see your loved one, not as a freak of nature, but as a child of God who is made in His image. I confess that while my mother was still alive, I did not follow my own advice and I have a lot of regrets for how I reacted to her when she was unstable. So, please do not think that I am above fault when you are reading this. I have made my fair share of mistakes and it is because of the mistakes that I have made that I am equipped to tell you what works and does not work when dealing with a loved one who is mentally ill. The advice I am giving is the same advice that I hope those closest to me will follow when dealing with me at my most unstable of times. My hope and prayer for anyone reading this blog will walk away from it feeling more confident in their own ability in dealing with a loved one with mental illness. I will not lie to you and tell you that it is easy. Actually, it will be one of the toughest things you will ever do in your life. This is why this task is not for just anyone. You must have a real heart for your loved one to be there for them in their unstable times because they will push you to your limits. 

Another Confession: 

The inspiration for the writing of this blog is credited to my lovely wife, Lydia Sarchet. That woman has perfectly demonstrated true Christlike love and patience for me in such a way that it causes me to feel unworthy of her love. The Lord has truly blessed me with a wonderful woman and through her, I realize that I am in awe of His mercy and grace. I have put my wife through so much turmoil in the short time that we have been married, yet she still remains by my side through everything. I am not sure what she was expecting when she said yes to marrying me, but I am sure that our marriage has not gone exactly the way she planned it to go. That is the thing about God: when we make plans, He laughs! My wife has demonstrated the advice I am about to give in this blog much better than I ever could with my own mother. For this reason, I love her all the more with my whole heart. 

Learn As Much As You Can 

It may be difficult but it is incumbent upon you to learn everything you can about your loved one's specific mental illness. They may not be interested in learning about their own illness, but this does not mean that you should be equally apathetic. If you are going to be of any kind of help to your loved one, then you need to know about your loved one's illness. There are a wide variety of books out there on specific mental illnesses written from the perspectives of people who struggle with their illnesses and from mental health professionals too. I would recommend that you get your hands on some of those books. Also, there are entire YouTube channels dedicated to educating people on mental health too. These channels are run by both people who struggle with mental illness and mental health professionals. One of my favorite channels is called Living Well With Schizophrenia. On that channel, Lauren does an excellent job explaining Schizophrenia to anyone who is not familiar with the disorder. She is not a Christian so her perspective is entirely secular. However, her channel was one of the inspirations for me to start the Christ-Centered Mental Health ministry because I thought that there should be a channel that talked about mental health education from a Christian perspective.  Another way you can learn about your loved one's illness is by asking them directly to describe their experiences to you. This is important because when you do this it will really go a long way in establishing trust between you and your loved one. However, when they open up to you about their experiences, you mustn't argue with them or judge them either. Their experiences are their experiences and they are very real to them. 

Always Be In Prayer For Your Loved One 

I cannot stress to how important prayer is when dealing with a loved one with mental illness. There will be times when the relationship will push you beyond your limits and it will be very difficult to continue loving your loved one. On some days you may even find yourself resenting the person. However, when you are in prayer for your loved one, the Lord rejuvenates your love for them because you see them the way that He sees them. This is important because so often we can get caught up with our own limited perspective that we tend to forget about His perspective. It is precisely for this reason that you must always go to the Lord in prayer concerning your loved one. Do not fall into the trap of thinking that you have it all figured out or that you can manage alone because that is when you will fall. I did not always pray for my mother and I believe that is why I made the mistakes that I made while dealing with her. I believe that if I would have relied more on God then I would not have been so reactionary toward her. Your loved one deserves to have you praying over them. 

Keep Emergency Numbers On Hand 

It is an unfortunate reality that when a loved one with a mental illness will not accept professional help, they may have incidents where they may experience psychosis in public. When this happens you must now know how to respond immediately. You must not delay in your response during this time because every second matters. The longer you stall the more your loved one may spiral out of control until they eventually hurt themselves or hurt someone else. During these moments, it is helpful to keep a list of emergency contacts on you at all times. You can keep them inside your wallet, purse, or even your cell phone. It does not really matter where you keep them as long as they are easily accessible. You must be able to get to them quickly. If you can memorize at least one emergency contact (preferably the one you will most likely be calling), that would be even more helpful. I wish that I would have done this while I was taking care of my mother, but thankfully my mother did not have any periods of psychosis in public around me. You might not be so fortunate so it would be wise for you to carry this list with you at all times. 

Conclusion:

I hope that this has given you a better understanding of what it will take to take care of your loved one with mental illness who refuses to seek any help. I know I said that it will be tough and it will push you to your limits on most days, but at the same time, it is the most rewarding experience. I do not regret ever taking care of my mother during her time of need and I know that she did appreciate me even though she did not know how to always express her gratitude. I would not have traded the experience of taking care of my mother for anything else in the world and if I had the choice to do it all over again I would in a heartbeat. I trust that you will understand what I am saying in time even if it does not seem all that apparent right now. Regardless of your circumstance, you must always keep in mind that your loved one is a human being created in the Imago Dei and thus deserving of the deepest respect and dignity of care. This is not a duty that you should take lightly. My prayer is that you will feel encouraged to continue loving your ones and that you will not give up on them because you may be the only person they have. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and may the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all! 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 

Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check Out The Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Check Out The Other CCMH Ministry Website

How Guilt And Shame Can Be Positive

Recently, I was challenged by one of my readers to write a blog on the different ways that guilt and shame can be positive. Since I am not one to shy away from a challenge, I have decided to write on that topic. However, I would like to say that I do not think that shame is ever truly "positive" in the sense that it is beneficial to one's mental health. Studies have shown the devastating effects that shame wreaks on a person's mental health. I do think that there are certain benefits that a healthy sense of guilt and shame do provide though and I will discuss what those are here. The four positive benefits to guilt and shame are the following: 

1) Guilt Drives Us Closer To God 

2) Shame Keeps Us Stable 

3) Guilt Keeps Us Humble 

4) Shame Keeps Us Honorable 

I will now elaborate on each of these points, but first I would like to ask you think of more benefits and share them with me in the comments below. 

Guilt Drives Us Closer To God 

As I write this, I am reminded of Peter right after he denied Jesus three times and immediately felt guilty. After Christ rose from the dead, Peter did not hide from Jesus but instead when he seen the Lord he immediately went to Him. I imagine that even though Peter felt guilty for denying Christ, he did not want to let His guilt drive him away from the Lord, but instead he drew closer. Our guilt over our sins should cause us to do the same. Whenever we feel guilty over a sin, we must take the opportunity to draw closer to Christ and to rest in His forgiveness and grace. 

Shame Keeps Us Stable 

When we have a healthy sense of shame, it will help us to realize that we need to do what we need to do to keep a stable mind. For example, I know that when I am manic I will do embarrassing things in public that will bring shame onto me and my family. It is precisely because of this reason that I always make sure that I take my medication and seek counseling too. If I did not do these things, the result would destroy my mind. 

Guilt Keeps Us Humble 

When we acknowledge our guilt before God, the realization then shows us that we are no better than any other sinner. This knowledge will keep us in a state of true humility as we relate to others. Anyone who looks down their noses on other people have neither understood the magnitude of their own sin nor have they understood the immense grace that is bestowed on all believers on behalf of Christ. 

Shame Keeps Us Honorable 

Whenever we feel a healthy sense of shame, it will cause us to behave appropriately because we will be concerned with how we are perceived by the public. Anyone who says they do not care what the public thinks of then do not understand how their public life can either make the Gospel attractive or repulsive to others. Our lives should reflect the life of Christ in such a way that people will be drawn to Jesus. It is an unfortunate reality that due to the blatant hypocrisy within the Church many people do not want anything to do with Christianity and Jesus Christ. I believe that this is the reason why the apostle Paul mentioned a few times in Scripture that we are to work quietly with our hands. He also said that one of the requirements of elders in a church is for them to be above reproach. If this were true for elders, how much more true would every Christian need to be above reproach? When I was young in the faith, I was taught to always be mindful of my testimony to unbelievers and there is wisdom in that knowledge. 

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and I hope you found this edifying to you and glorifying to God. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all! 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 

Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check Out The Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Check Out The Other CCMH Ministry Website

What Is It Like In A Psychiatric Hospital?

Before I get started on this blog, I would like to say that everyone's experience in a psychiatric ward will be a little different. So, please keep in mind that I am merely talking from my own experience of being in many different psychiatric wards across the country from my teenage years to adulthood. Every psychiatric hospital will be different but similar at the same time. For this blog, I will split this into five sections to describe the experience one will have in any given psychiatric hospital. These five sections are the following: 

1) Intake 

2) Schedule 

3) Group Therapy 

4) Daze Phase 

5) Discharge 

Like I said, every psychiatric ward will be different from one another, while at the same time sharing some similarities. I have had experiences where I have had a lot of fun in certain mental hospitals and the experience was more like being in a summer camp. However, I have had other experiences where I felt like I was inside of a prison and the experience was miserable too. I will now elaborate on these five points. 

Intake 

The first thing that has to happen in order to be admitted into a psychiatric hospital is you will need to be evaluated. This entails going to either a mental health crisis center or to the local emergency room. At these places there will be a clinical psychiatrist who will meet with you for an evaluation. If you came willingly then the experience will not be so bad but if you were brought by the police or someone in authority then your experience might not be so pleasant. Regardless, if the clinical psychiatrist deems that you need to be admitted, then the next step is you have to wait until a bed opens up in the hospital so that you can be transferred. 

Schedule 

Everything that happens in the psychiatric hospital happens like clockwork from the time you are scheduled to wake up to the time you are scheduled to go to bed. All the meals and distribution of medications happen at set times throughout the day and in between meals you have group therapy. 

Group Therapy 

The type of therapy you will receive in these groups will vary from hospital to hospital. Some hospitals teach Dialectal Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and other hospitals teach Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Regardless of what type of therapy that the hospital teaches, group participation is mandatory. If you do not attend groups, and participate, then your doctor will not discharge you. Your participation in the groups will be the evidence the doctors will look for when determining whether to discharge you or not. 

Daze Phase

Whenever you are in the hospital, the first three days seem to go by quickly. However, around the fourth day everything seems to go by really slow. You think the reason why everything slows down is because around this time you feel like  you are now in a daze and just going through the motions. You feel stuck in the facility with no way out and you also wonder if you will ever get discharged. It becomes harder to participate in group therapy. 

Discharge 

As soon as the doctor tells you that I have a discharge date, everything begins to lighten up again. You will find that it is easier to participate in group therapy because your overall mood is more cheerful. On the day of your discharge, you may feel a lot of anxiety because you partially excited to go home, but you are also very much afraid of relapsing into old behavior patterns that landed you in the hospital in the first place. Once you are home, it may take you awhile to acclimate back into society because everything will feel surreal. 

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and I hope that this helps you have a better understanding of what it is like in psychiatric hospitals. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all! 

Check Out The Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

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How God's Predestination of His Elect Helps You Overcome Shame

"For consider your calling, brothers, not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, 'let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord'." -1 Corinthians 1: 26-31 

Shame is a powerful motivator for us  to attempt to be a good person who seems to have it all together. It is because of shame that we tend to go to great lengths to hide our flaws from people because we want people to see an image of us that is better than we perceive ourselves. This is why the Gospel is so offensive to our ears because it tells us that we do not have it all together and actually we are totally messed up. The apostle Paul tells us that it is precisely because we are "weak and foolish" that God chose us and the reason why He chose us was so that He could shame the "wise and strong" according to worldly standards. While the world glorifies the Lebron James' and Kim Kardashians of society, God intentionally chose the homeless bum on the street while passing over the world's "prized possessions". The irony is that while the world would look down on us as rejects, God has rejected the world and all of their splendor. However, this should not give us cause for pride because it was nothing in us that caused God to choose us. We are nothing but weak and lowly beggars who were bound for hell and it was only through the sacrifice of our Savior on the cross that any of us can lay hold to eternal life. When we realize this then it should cause us to be very humble instead of looking down on others because we realize that we are in the same boat as the crack addicts and prostitutes of the world. However, not only should this cause us to remain humble, but it should also cause us to not feel ashamed anymore because we understand that we have the Eternal Father on our side. If God is for us, then who can be against us? As a matter of fact, the apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, 

"So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness'. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 

As we see the apostle Paul pleaded with the Lord three times to remove his thorn in the flesh, but the Lord responded to him that His grace was sufficient for him. It was because of this that Paul could then respond with that he will boast in his weaknesses "so that the power of Christ" may rest upon him. When we understand how and why God chose us, it should cause us to no longer feel ashamed of our weaknesses but instead we can boast in our weaknesses. We can in a sense wear our weaknesses as a badge of honor because we know that it is in our weaknesses that we find our strength in Christ. I used to be ashamed of my struggles with debilitating Schizoaffective Disorder, but these days I see my illness as something that drives me to Jesus Christ. It is this reason why I believe that mental illness can display the glory of God. 

Thank you very much for reading my blog and I hope that you found this edifying to you and glorifying to Our Heavenly Father. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all. Soli Deo Gloria! 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 

Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check Out The Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Check Out The Other Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

5 Tips To Help You Manage Mania & Hypomania

There are common symptoms that many people with bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder deal with. These symptoms are what psychiatrists refer to as mania and hypomania. Now you may be wondering what these terms mean right? According to the Cleveland Clinic, 

"Mania is a condition in which you display an over-the-top level of activity or energy, mood, or behavior. This elevation must be a change from your usual self and be noticeable by others. Symptoms include feelings of invincibility, lack of sleep, racing thoughts and ideas, rapid talking and having false beliefs or perceptions."

Obviously, if someone is in a manic episode, they may need to be hospitalized for a few days to have their medication adjusted. Mania is very serious and should not be taken lightly. An example of mania is when years ago I believed that it was biblically prophesied for me to harm the president. This is obviously a delusional belief that caused me to act in odd fashion and during this time I was very euphoric and felt invincible with high entering too. As for the definition of hypomania, according to www.mind.org.uk, 

"Hypomania is a milder version of mania that lasts for a short period (usually a few days)." 

Hypomania does not necessarily require hospitalization, but should be taken seriously regardless because it can easily lead into mania if left unchecked. During my hypomania stages, I may not become delusional or have hallucinations, but I will engage in high risk activities such as over-spending and becoming very sexual. My mind will race and I may even talk a mile-a-minute too. 

Now, that you have an idea as to what mania and hypomania are, it is time for me to share how to best manage these symptoms. These are tips that I use in my daily life and I believe if you utilize them they will help you as well. If you can think of more tips please feel free to share what helps you in the comments below. 

1) Take Medication At The Same Time Every Day 

This may seem like a trite point to make but it is a proven fact that our medication work the best when we take them on a regular daily schedule. We do have an hour window before and after our scheduled time, but it is very important that we stay on schedule because if we miss a dose then our minds will not fare well. 

2) Get Plenty of Sleep 

It is vitally important that we make sure we get plenty of sleep at night time because the less sleep we have the easier it will be for our minds to slip into a hypomanic or manic episode. 

3) Do not drink too much caffeine or energy drinks 

This one is particularly tough for me because I LOVE Mountain Dew but I have come to the realization that drinking too much caffeine can,  and often does, trigger mania and hypomania episodes. I am not saying that we cannot enjoy a good soda here and there, but we must be careful not to over consume too much caffeine. 

4) Do not over stimulate the mind 

Sometimes we need to stay away from electronic devices because too much stimulation to our minds can trigger mania and hypomanic episodes. This one is tough for me because I love watching movies and tv shows and I love playing video games too. However, we need to make sure we take time to give our minds a chance to relax too. 

5) Meditate on the word of God 

I cannot stress enough how important biblical meditation really is. We need to make sure we stay grounded in God's word daily and that we hide His word in our hearts too. If we are meditating day and night on His word, then we will be more at peace in our minds. 

I hope that this blog helps you properly understand mania and hypomania and how to manage these symptoms. Thank you for reading this blog and may the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all! Soli Deo Gloria! 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 

Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check Out The Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Check Out The Other CCMH Ministry Website

Why Purity Culture Is Bad For Mental Health

In today's American Christian circles, there is a trend that is highly popular. This trend has been commonly referred to as Purity Culture. What exactly is Purity Culture, you wonder? Purity Culture is 

"a subculture of evangelical Christian culture that emphasizes strict gender roles and norms, abstinence and modesty".

Proponents of this ideology will advocate for complete abstinence of any physical affection prior to marriage such as kissing or even hand holding. There are many issues with this sort of ideology, but for the sake of this blog I will focus on three of the issues. After reading this, I hope that you will see that Purity Culture is something that needs to be rejected. However, I would like to say that I am not in any way saying that Christians are not to remain sexually pure before marriage. Scripture is clear that we are to abstain from sex prior to marriage and I do not aim to contradict Scripture. 1 Corinthians 6:18 tells us,

  "Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body." 

As Christians, we need to be careful not to commit sexual immorality because that will dishonor God and the marriage covenant. However, even though Purity Culture starts with a good premise, their practical application has some devastating effects on mental health. Some of these are the following: 

1) Purity Culture burdens the consciences of its adherents 

2) Purity Culture stifles affections between couples 

3) Purity Culture sets people up with unrealistic expectations

These points are not the only things wrong with Purity Culture, but I will not say that someone who adheres to this ideology is not saved. I will leave that up to the Lord Himself because He knows those who are His. I will now elaborate on each of these points. 

Purity Culture burdens the consciences of its adherents 

The first reason why this ideology is so dangerous is because it creates unnecessary anxiety amongst believers. I say this because believers who subscribe to this ideology spend inordinate time worrying about trivial things such as whether or not its sinful to hold hands with their boyfriend or girlfriend. They also spend a lot of time stressing over whether or not to even kiss one another. Regardless of what Purity Culture tells you, kissing and holding hands is NOT the same thing as having sex. Anyone who says otherwise does not know anything about sex. There are plenty of Christian couples who manage to hold hands and kiss one another without succumbing to fornication or sexual immorality and if kissing were the same thing as sex then every parent should be considered pedophiles! According to Galatians 5:1 we read, 

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery"

Christ came to set us free from all forms of legalism and Purity Culture is a form of legalism. The command to flee sexual immorality is more about matters of our hearts than about following some strict moralistic guideline. Yes, we must avoid sexual immorality, but we need to be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. 

Purity Culture stifles affections between couples 

It is a known fact that any relationship survives off of both the man and woman showing one another affection. As a matter of fact, I do not know of a single woman who would want to be with a man who shows absolutely zero affection towards her. So, a man who refuses to do something simple such as hold hands with his woman will only hurt his chances at being in a relationship with her. As soon as another man comes along who shows affection, that woman will be attracted to him. This is basic common sense. In order for a relationship to survive and thrive, there must be affection. 

Purity Culture sets people up with unrealistic expectations 

I have seen it over and over again with people who subscribe to this ideology. These people tend to believe that they can meet someone and jump right into marriage without there being any affection whatsoever. It is almost as if these people honestly believe that someone will magically be attracted to them without any pretense. That is not how relationships work at all. In reality, relationships require work and lots of affection. If someone is not willing to put in the work or show affection then they cannot expect to ever be married to anyone! They are merely setting themselves up for a life of loneliness and despair. 

I trust that now you can see how this ideology is dangerous and should be avoided but if you can think of any more reasons please feel free to share them in the comments below. I do believe that the people promoting this ideology mean well, but their practical application is burdensome. Thank you very much for reading and may the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all! 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 

Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check Out The Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Check Out The Other Christ-Centered Mental Health Website

Top 5 Ways To Do A Reality Check When Dealing With Hallucinations & Delusions

When someone deals with Schizophrenia, it can be very challenging to distinguish reality from fantasy. I know for myself personally I have a tendency to confuse the two frequently. This is why I have had to come up with some ways to help me distinguish what is real and what is unreal. Hallucinations and delusions can feel very real and in this blog I shall give you some tips that will help you distinguish between the two. After reading this blog, I hope that you will walk away having a better understanding of how you can see reality. These five tips are not meant to be comprehensive and they are not the only things you can do either. Everyone is different and so every one will find their own ways to deal with their hallucinations and delusions. I am merely telling you what has helped me in the Hopes that they will help you too and if you can think of more tips please feel free to let me know what you do in the comments. These five tips that I incorporate when I deal with hallucinations and delusions are the following: 

1) Ask Someone To Verify 

2) Take A Picture With My Phone 

3) Consult The Word of God 

4) Remove Myself From Situation 

5) Call A Friend or Talk To My Wife 

I will now elaborate on these five points. 

Ask Someone To Verify 

Whenever I see animal that I am not used to seeing or that does not seem to belong, I will ask either my wife or someone around me if they see that animal too. The reason I do this is because obviously if my wife or the other person sees the animal too then it is apparently real. This may feel uncomfortable to do at first so I would recommend doing this with someone you trust first. 

Take A Picture With My Phone

I have found that when I am hallucinating and I cannot ask someone to verify if it's real then it helps me to take a picture of the hallucination with my camera phone. The reason I do this is because a hallucination will not appear in a picture so if I see the object in the picture then it must be real. This is a very helpful tool to utilize when you're alone. 

Consult The Word of God 

The word of God defines reality so anything that contradicts the Bible is obviously false. Since I realize this, I know that when my voices tell me things that are contrary to the Word then I must reject what they are saying. Obviously, this would require one to be grounded in studying Scripture daily. 

Remove Myself From The Situation 

Sometimes the hallucinations and delusions can be so overwhelming that I must physically remove myself from a certain area that is triggering them. Usually whenever I do this the hallucinations and delusions calm down. 

Call A Friend or Talk To My Wife 

I have found that when I am experiencing a strong delusion or hallucination, it helps me to talk to someone about them. This is something we must exercise with caution because not all our friends can be trusted with this information. Also, we must make sure we talk to someone who will not attempt to argue with us about our hallucinations and delusions. 

I hope that these tips help you and I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog. May the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all! 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 

Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check Out The Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Check Out The Other Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Does God Want You To Be Your "Authentic Self"?

There is much talk these days about people being true to themselves or being their authentic self. What people usually mean by this is that they want to be true to person they truly feel they are on the inside. In this mindset, objective facts do not really matter because subjective feelings are the master. In a more extreme case, this is why nowadays we see multitudes of boys and girls thinking they are not the correct gender. However, this "authentic self" mindset can reveal its ugly head in minor ways too. It is important to note that people who have succumbed to this dangerous mindset have only done so because of years of indoctrination. However, the rise of this influence does reveal that many people do have a desire to be genuine in how they identify themselves. People are fed up with the shallow and superficial fads that keep getting advertised to us on a daily basis and they want something deeper. As Christians, we should be all the more eager to embrace these people as we point them to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who alone gives us an identity and a purpose that is truly satisfying unlike the false messages of those who would have us believing in ourselves.

One of the primary issues with the whole "being our true authentic selves" ideology is that according to Jeremiah 17:9, 

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" 

Can we really trust a heart that is "deceitful above all things"? If we trust our hearts then we will be led to believe all manner of lies and distortions. Our culture inundates us with messages that tell us to believe our hearts from the moment we are children and as we become adults we learn quickly hoe problematic this view really is. On the contrary, what does the Bible tell us is the correct thing to do instead? According to Proverbs 3:5-6, 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." 

The solution to truly living authentic life is to humbly trust in the Lord's sovereignty and wisdom. God reveals His wisdom to us in His word and we should trust His word because His word defines reality for us. We should not base our identity in how we personally feel or think but instead we should base our whole identity on who we are in Jesus Christ. This may seem like a difficult task, and trust me it is not easy, but when our identity if based on Christ that is when we will truly be free to live our lives the way that God intended for us. As the Westminster Larger Catechism puts it, 

Q. What is the chief end of man? 

A. To glorify God and enjoy him forever 

Our purpose in this life and in the next life is to glorify God and to enjoy communion with Him. There is no higher calling in life than that. It does not matter what else you do in this life because if you are not glorifying and enjoying Him then your life is without meaning. Our lives should be so consumed with a desire to glorify God that literally everything else pales in comparison. 

I hope that this blog helps you understand the topic of whether or not we should live our authentic selves better and I pray that this edified and challenged you too. Thank you for taking the time to read this and may the grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all. Soli Deo Gloria! 

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 

Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check Out The Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Check Out The Other Ministry Website