Tag: mental illness

faith, God, Healing, Hope, Life, Spirituality

Sometimes You Have to be Your Own Advocate for Your Healthcare

I admit it. I am a naive patient. I have gone to the same Dr in the same clininc for years. When a problem arose I trusted the Dr to refer me to the specialist and assumed they were talking to each other for my best healthcare. I have learned this is not always the case. Sometimes, you have to be your own advocate for your Healthcare.

I have learned this last year that once a Dr sends you off to the specialist, they do not always follow through. They assume the specialist will do what they are supposed to do and they don’t have to deal with it. Then, when more specialists get involved, I thought they would all talk to each other. Not true.

This past year I have seen my Primary Dr, a Neurologist, an Orthopaedic Dr, a Neuropsychiatirst, a Physical Therapist, and an Occupational Therapist. Yeah, it’s been a year.

My eyes were opened when my Physical Therapist, whom I had been seeing for 3 months, twice a week, made it a point to write a special letter to the Neurologist #1 explaining my issues and the difficulties I was having. She shared how my progress was deteriorating and she needed direction on what exercieses I should do next and what Diagnosis the Neurologist would give me regarding these tremors/seizures.

When I went to the Neurologist #1, I asked him about the note from my Physical Therapist. He did not ever read it. I fired him. That is just wrong. So then I went to Neurologist #2. I asked my Physical Therapist to send him the same letter explaining my struggles. She did. Guess what? When I got to Neurologist #2 he had not ever read it either!

Ugggh. Really? So they send me here, there, and everywhere and they are so important that they will not even read what their supposed partners have found? It is so frustrating!

That is when I decided I have to own my treatment and my own healthcare. Yes, they are the Doctors, but many times they are only interested in their own findings and don’t look at me as a whole person.

After 4 MRI’s Neurologist #2 says that I don’t have any lesions on my brain or spinal cord, so there is nothing else he can do for me. He sends me to the Neuropsychiatrst. Pass the buck here. No, that is me, I am the patient.

I have been going to this Neuoropshychaitrist for 3 months now. The seizures are getting worse with FND ( Functional Neurological Disorder) and I am getting more frustrated.

My friend Laura suggested I get referred to another clinic that was associated with a large hospital in our area, UW-Madison. Thank you Laura! I sent a note to my Primary Doctor and she finally referred me to this other place, out of their network, and I will see Neurologist #3 here shortly.

I guess I share this with you because I learned that I can’t believe everything that a Doctor tells me. I have to OWN my health and my healthcare. I was told I would have this FND forever and there is no cure, just live with it. Ummmm – NO! I do not accept that.

Jesus died so I did not have to carry this illness, by HIS stripes I AM healed. And if one clinic is not going to help me get there, then I’ll go to the next one. God has given Doctors the gift of medicine just like Luke. Healing is from God, and sometimes He uses Doctors to administer it. I refuse to belive that there is no cure for this. I refuse to believe that I will be this way forever!

“Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved; for you are my praise.” – Jeremiah 17:14

What about you? Have you ever had to change Doctors or Clinics?

 

Depression, Healing, Hope, Mental Illness, Spirituality

Renew Our Minds to Heal Mental Illness

After my post yesterday on the prevalence of Mental Illness in this Nation, I feel compelled to share the only way that I have found to renew my mind. You see, I could relate to that girl.(Here is the post – THE SEMICOLON PROJECT)  I have had those self-destructive thoughts in my mind for years. I hated those thoughts. And I know they are NOT from God. God is not out to destroy me, the Enemy is. The Enemy has come to kill, steal, and destroy. Jesus has come to give us life and life more abundantly.

I have tried the ‘psychology’ fixes to change my thoughts. I have read almost every self-help book out there. But that did not quiet the thoughts in my head.

The only thing that has renewed my mind and shut up the destructive thoughts is the WORD OF GOD.

 

Think of your house.

You don’t let any old person in do you?

Just because they come to the door does not mean they get to come in and sit down on your couch and move in right?

The same is true with our thoughts. Just because a thought comes to the door does not mean we have to let it in.

Every thought we get to ‘take captive’ and test.

Is that thought true?

Is that thought what God says about me?

Is that thought out to destroy me?

If it is not true or destructive we can close the door and not let it in our house. Instead we can think on good things. God says we are good. God says we are fearfully and wonderfully made. God says that He has a plan and He will never leave us or forsake us. God speaks Truth, and those thoughts bouncing around may be LIES. Don’t let them in.

That is how we renew our minds and heal our mental illness, one thought at a time with the Word of God.

Bible Verses on Renewing Your Mind

 And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude], (Ephesians 4:23 AMP)

For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One), (2 Corinthians 5:3-5 AMP)

 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God,even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]. (Romans 12:2 AMP)

 

For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. (Philippians 4:8 AMP)

 

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Activism, Depression, Spirituality

the semicolon project

It’s time we talk about this Church.

20% of youth ages 13-18 are suffering from a mental condition, aka depression or anxiety. Over 18% of us suffer from Anxiety alone according to NAMI.

This is one of the most honest posts I have read about what it feels like to live like this.

How are we helping?

 

 

Depression, Domestic Violence and Abuse, Healing, Rejection, Spirituality

Love is Messy-deliverance from self-hatred

Love is messy. It’s not for the faint at heart that’s for sure. And it’s not for the fault finders either. We are all still human and how we respond to someone’s mistake or weakness shows others how soft or how hard our heart is. As a parent I am still learning and growing.  I make mistakes. And so do my kids. But I am learning to give them and me the same grace I give others.  It’s so funny, I have bent over backwards helping others, yet I confess, I am not always the best mom. I am not always present in the moment.  I mean, I try, but sometimes I get sidetracked, or take a wrong turn, or just check out.  How about you?

So, this new year I have decided I need to give my family the same love and grace I give to a stranger. I am going to treat myself and my body with a new found love.  No, I am not going new-age on you here. But I have to confess, once a girl is raped and abused – we see ourselves differently. We think we are dirty and trash.  And this spirit of self-loathing sets in. Self-hatred. Destruction. Kill, steal, destroy yourself and your body.  Those thoughts are not from God, and they are not healthy.  They are a lie that the enemy has planted in my soul. And they are not true. It’s time to close this door.

How do you know if you have let this spirit live inside you?  I came across an interesting Bible Study:

THE ANTI-SELF BONDAGES.

Here the Author shares about the anti-self bondages with reference to mental illness and health problems:

 

Henry Wright, who I consider highly knowledgeable and gifted in the area of physical and emotional healing, considers anti-self (self-unforgiveness, self-resentment, self-hate, self-rejection, etc.) issues as one of the major sources of many physical and mental health problems.

Now of course, we’re not saying that Satan and evil spirits don’t run rapid in witchcraft, Satanism, and so forth, but do you know why people get involved in many of those things? Rejection, for example, is one of the main forces that push our youth right into Satanism. Rebellion and insecurity are among the forces that push people into witchcraft (power and manipulation, control, etc.). If you take away the doorways (rejection, insecurity, rebellion, self-hate, unforgiveness, and so forth), then I have to seriously question if Satanism, witchcraft and the ‘heavier’ things would even have a chance!

 

Today I cast off the enemies plans for myself and my body.  I accept God’s plans for me and my family.  All things work together for good, and God says He has thoughts and plans for me, for good and not for evil. And today, I am shutting the door to the enemy! No more self-hatred. No more self-loathing. No more destruction, in Jesus Name.

 

Now I do not know Henry Wright – I haven’t really heard anything about him. But I do know that this makes sense.  So I did a little more digging. In this video he says that 80% of all disease has a common problem – and that is lack of love.  It involves separation – separation from God. Especailly from God as Father.  I know I have not really known God as Father.  Lord, show me more…

I am taking back my life. I confess, and I repent.

Self hatred is a DEAD WORK.

I have come to the knowledge of the Truth.

I have come to my senses.

And I know God will help me.

Are you ready to let go of self-hatred?

Jesus is Lord.

 

Here is a video I found:

 

 

I think I might have to get this book:

Cover via Amazon
Depression, Domestic Violence and Abuse, Healing, Hurt in Church, Spirituality, Uncategorized, Videos

Healing Your Soul – Part 1

Every once in a while The Lord leads you to a message, a Word that you needed to make it that day. My husband Bob has been listening to healing sermons by Evelyn Gipson out of  Life Church in Roscoe, IL. Bob and I went to her Healing School about a year ago. We were so blessed. And we are hungry. We want to be well. We want to be whole. Evelyn has so much Word in her you can’t help but be refreshed when you listen to her. Bob has been on fire these past few weeks just listening to the Word that God gives her! I’m so loving it here!

Here is a link to some of Evelyn’s Discipleship Training:

http://www.lifechurchag.com/page/1/?s=Evelyn

So today I thought I would listen again for myself. His enthusiasm is contagious and I just had to see for myself. I sat and listened to Evelyn’s first message. And WOW! What a blessed Minister of the Word! And then, I went online to find more. Yep, I’m hungry!

So I go the the website and start searching the titles. And God leads me to  this video is by Bev Tucker from the same church. She too is a powerhouse and teaches about Deliverance.  I about fell out of my chair when she did the thing with the rose. It was like 50 years of my life finally made sense.  And so did all those other things she talks about – like broken hearts, trauma, abuse, mental illness, and things like Dissociative Personality Disorder. Seriously, I have never heard a Pastor talk about these things. Yet many of us suffer. And we are starving looking for answers.  That’s why we come looking, seeking for a way to be whole. We know were broken, you don’t have to tell us that…that’s why we came.

Bev’s example made so much sense to me. Think about it. When we get in an accident and go to the hospital the Nurses and Doctors clean the wounds, and attempt to put us back together again.  They are smart, and are using the gift that God gave them to repair and rebuild.

But what about the soul injury? Our thoughts,  feelings, emotions, our personality – how do they get healed? As Bev says, the world and the psychologists and psychiatrists acknowledge the problem. They know what is happening, even down to the chemistry and brain function. They can medicate it, but they can’t fix it.  I speak from my experience. I went to them for years upon years. Yes, I acknowledged how and why I was broken. But can you fix it? I don’t know about you, but all they gave me was more talk about what I couldn’t change (my past) and more pills.

So then I went to church. Still broken, still looking for answers and healing. However most of the time the Church doesn’t even acknowledge or address the brokenness in a person. And we have the answer. The only way a person can be made whole again – Jesus Christ and the healing work of the Holy Spirit. But we don’t talk about that part cuz we are so busy “looking good”. Again, my opinion.

The Church is supposed to the the Hospital!

Injury, hurt, trauma, abuse, divorce, witchcraft, drugs, alcohol, whatever – they all leave their mark on our mind, will, and emotions. Even Lazarus needed someone to remove the bandages after Jesus raised him from the dead! Want to be healed? Want that abundant life God promised?

Watch this video – especially the rose part – and decide for yourself.