Mental Illness

I went to lunch today with a friend whose son is bi-polar. I went on my regular Monday night walk last night with a friend who has suffered from dissociative disorder (split personality as it was once called) and borderline personality disorder most of her life. I played tennis this morning with a friend who told me that there are five autistic boys in our ward right now. I know people who are have ADD, ADHD, who have tourettes syndrome (a neurological disorder), hoarding disorder and who are narcissistic, just to name a few illnesses/disorders. I went VT for years to a home where the husband was schizophrenic, unemployed and a threat to himself and his family. I've been to the mental health lock down unit at the hospital at least eight or nine times and I've talked to doctors and therapists about treatment options for my friend. I've held her hand while she had her stomach pumped and I've gone to her home when she was passed out on the floor and have been there along with my husband when the paramedics came to the rescue.
I know this much - most who suffer from these ailments are doing their best to cope. I know another thing as well - mental illness is real. It's as real as a stomach ache, diabetes, cancer or a broken bone. One of the challenges is that is doesn't show like a cast on a leg and when asked "where does it hurt" the answer is usually vague and hard to pinpoint. It seems to hurt everywhere sometimes and nowhere at other times. Mental illness seems to touch us all at some point in our lives. It's everywhere.
I've often wondered, "what can the person with mental challenges control and what can't he/she control." I don't know the answer. I think this is why we can't judge people, because we don't know what they can control and what they can't control. Only our Father in Heaven knows this. The thought that maybe those with these illnesses/disorders can't control their words and/or actions has helped me in realizing that many times their actions, (or lack of actions, their words, or lack of words) the things they say and do that seem so irrational and nonsensical, are beyond their control.
My husband sees a long line of mentally ill people in his profession. Most are heart-breaking situations and it seems like these people aren't getting the help they need in our communities. Sometimes the help is there, but they won't take it. It's a very complicated social problem. It seems like our prisons are filled with mentally ill people. Rick and I both went into homes to help people when we served in church callings - he as a bishop and I as a RS president - filling out food orders, and trying to help. The stories are complicated and sad. Mental illness affects the entire family over the course of years and years.
What can be done? I don't have any real answers, but I think a few things can help. Getting a professional diagnosis is vital. I believe that taking the proper medications can go a long way in helping the individual cope better with life, and can affect the person and those around them for the good. From what I've observed, a person who is off his meds doesn't do as well as a person who faithfully takes his medication. Good therapy seems to be another effective tool. My Monday walking friend has a therapist who has literally saved her life. This therapist is someone who understands her mind and who is helping her cope with her past, a past so terrible that it has caused her personality to split. I have nothing but admiration for people with mental health struggles who are trying to get help. I think that we should all be less judgmental, more encouraging, and where possible, give the poor struggling families a break or a way to get away from the stress of the situation. Learning more about the illnesses can also help in understanding and helping. This web site has helped me a lot as I've tried to get more information to help some people - the National Institute of Mental Health.
No one can pray away mental illness. I don't know of anyone who has been healed from it through fasting and prayer and righteous living alone. This isn't to say, however, that these tools don't help. They do and I've seen evidence of that as well. I just don't believe that they cure. I think the only cure will be in the resurrection when "all things shall be restored to their proper order, every thing to it's natural frame." Alma 41:4