Mental Illness or Biological Brain Disorder? Answer: Both in one.

A Catholic Christian, Mental Health Consumer’s Perspective

An essay by Daniel A. Popovich

It is both in one.

I am not a mental health professional, but I have dealt successfully with Bipolar Disorder for thirty years now. I am fifty-eight years young at the time of this writing.

The first ten years were the worst for me. I struggled to find mental health professionals that I trusted, and unfortunately, that led to some very frightening and traumatizing moments that delayed my long-term recovery.

Mental illness runs in my family, as both my parents suffered from depression to varying degrees. This didn’t prevent them from raising a happy and prosperous family.

I am a Christian. Jesus came into my heart privately in my junior year of university. 

At that moment, when I was trying to gut it out alone with the mood swings and depression, He showed me what He suffered for me personally through the witness of a good friend who suffered severe body and brain damage in a car accident. 

That man was and is a believing Christian himself and would give all the glory of his remarkable life since then to Our Lord alone.

May I extend that witness to whomever might be reading this at this time?

I’m not going to play to your emotions, but I am going to ask you right now, as you sit and read the following:

Do you believe that Jesus Christ came into this world of ours to live, work, suffer, and die for our sins?

If the answer is yes, and you are still struggling with a mental health diagnosis, I would be curious to know whether you think of it as a disease of the mind, body, or soul?

We are assured by Holy Mother Church, the Bride of Christ, that Jesus Christ was both fully man and fully God.

We are also assured that every living person is both a physical being and a spiritual being in one.

What is the mind?

The mind is simply the part of us that thinks.

Hopefully, in a rational manner.

There was a time when I didn’t think well before Christ saved me.

I believe that Jesus Christ is God, and I am not.

I believe that I am someone that God created and will always be, moving forward.

I believe that through discipleship to Him, I will be like God in heaven.

It is no coincidence that, according to the Christian Faith, we were all created in the image and likeness of God.

So then what happened?

Sin, illness, and death.

The original sin of our historical ancestors dates back to the creation of mankind.

I’m not going to split hairs here.

You are either a believer in the basic tenets of the Christian Faith or you are not.

So is sin merely illness?

Not at all.

That is a horrifying thought.

Sin is simply turning away from Our Lord in our everyday lives.

That is an illness, and it is an act of our free will.

Notice that I am not getting Scriptural here.

I am using my mind to reason this out.

What is illness?

All illness is an opportunity.

An opportunity to turn to Jesus Christ and ask to be healed.

Does Jesus Christ heal everybody?

To those who choose to follow Him in faith, emphatically yes!

Again, not scriptural. Just using my God-given gift of reason.

Why do people suffer tragedy and die?

Simple: To know and love Our Lord Jesus Christ, Our Savior.

He couldn’t express His Love and Kindness to us unless we needed to hear it and experience it.

Remember, He showed us the Way to Eternal Life.

He is the Way to Eternal Life.

He lived amongst us and worked, taught, healed, and was Obedient to God the Father even unto Death on The Cross. 

All for our benefit.

You can explore all that for yourself, though. 

Pray right now for the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit,  to enlighten your mind, heart, and soul.

I would emphasize that as a Catholic Christian, I find Our Lord Truly Present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.

As He is in all of the Seven Sacraments of His Bride, the Church.

Worthy reception of the Holy Eucharist changed my life for the better when I was a fresh young convert just out of university, as it does today.

I was still suffering from depression and mood swings at that time, but I was attracted to the Eucharist because it is something physical and tangible that we could consume.

It nourishes and unites us as Christians.

I still have (hopefully) a long way to go in my walk with Our Lord, but after welcoming Christ into my heart spiritually, He gave me the gift of the Eucharist and all the Sacraments to help me move forward with life.

Sooo… mental illness or physical illness.

Both! In one.

Jesus Christ is, was, and ever shall be The Incarnation.

The Word became Flesh and dwelt among us!

The word “mental” is often associated with the spiritual.

The word “physical” is often associated with the material world.

All in one, though.

Anyone who has ever dealt successfully with a “mental illness” will tell you that it is both a spiritual and physical problem if they are honest.

I happen to be a person who has dealt successfully with it by first turning to God and then taking medications prescribed by a licensed, professional provider that I trust.

I have been med compliant for twenty years now.

It was a true miracle that I chose to remain on my meds when I noticed the racing thoughts and urge to run that had plagued me in the past.

Life got better immediately.

I had made it to the other side of going nowhere fast.

Many people were praying for me as I am praying for you right now.

“Come, Holy Spirit, enlighten the minds of us, the unfaithful and disobedient.

Give us courage to change and grow in Your loving and peaceful Dominion here in this World.

Let us be shining examples of what Your co-workers in the mental health field can accomplish in us when we are finally using our God-given gift of reason to direct our hearts, minds, and souls to the betterment of ourselves and this world.

ALL to the Glory and Honor of Our Most Holy Savior, Jesus Christ.

Healer of Souls.”

Post Script:

This was written on a very special day. We celebrated Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, at church this afternoon by publicly witnessing to her role as the most holy Co-Redemptorix of her Son, Jesus Christ.

The priest emphatically stressed, as I do now, that it is only Christ who saves.

He even had to save the Blessed Mother.

She was given a special place as our Immaculately Conceived Queen because Jesus Christ deserves all the honor and glory that a good mother would bestow on her child.

The rosary is a simple way of getting started learning scripture, even if you can’t read yet.

It is not a superstitious talisman.

Final note: 

Pray to the Holy Spirit to guide you and open your bible and read the Word of God when appropriate.

Let the Light of His Word enter your mind, heart, and soul.

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