Hi everyone, this is a video led by the Pope for mental health ministry month. This ministry month is encouraging us to keep in our prayers those who of us who have a mental illness. It may also be comforting for some people to know that others are praying for this group at this time.
According to the UK mental illness in 16-64 years old have risen by 7% in the last eight years according to Mind Charity. Depression rates for example has also risen in the US in recent years.
Those who have mental illness are a very varied group.
I think that the modern age we are seeing increasingly people become affected by body image problems and mental illness around conditions like anxiety and depression. Some conditions such as autism have higher rates of anxiety and depression exist in these groups. Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of all mental health conditions according to the National Institute of Health.
Some people also their condition may affect their behaviour to make them act out of character for themselves. Some are also just not ready yet to change. With some conditions some people just do not see themselves as unwell when they are and will need people who will realise this around them. Some are just low in mood that they feel that they cannot help themselves.
I have known people who were abused in their early childhood and who developed bulimia as a way to deal with the trauma and have never got over it yet. I also known of a nun who again was abused as a child and had a trauma until a late age when they finally recovered and resolved this trauma.
(Galatians 6:2) and (1 Thessalonians 5:11) speaks to us about a need to support other Christians in their difficult times.
