I'm working on three online psychology courses right now, two of which are introductory and boring, but one of which is upper level and brimming with things I don't know. I'm just finishing up reading an in-depth chapter on Freudian theory and I can feel the desperation sizzling - to understand his theories in terms of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's a glorious brain massage, comparable to the experience of musical euphoria brought on by the most delectable and magnetic of songs. Like this. Of course musical euphoria varies according to person, as well as mood and sound quality. COMMENT YOUR MUSICAL EUPHORIA I ADORE SUCH MUSICAL SHARING.
So I was reading about the case of Phineas Gage. The part of his brain that was pulverized by a rail road was extremely important to his ability to control and moderate his behaviour; aligning with Freud's theories, Gage lost his Ego (a theoretical area of the mind) that had previously inhibited the Id's impulses. He became a starkly different individual driven by his desires and oblivious to moral and societal restraints.
So it's clear, of course, that behaviour is intrinsically related to areas of the brain and the brain's chemical function. Let the mysteries of brain function explode your mind. So in this case, physical/chemical alteration of the brain causes a change in Gage's personality and thought. So brain is linked with identity. And I think it's clear that it works the other way around too - that change in identity/life experiences etc. can alter the brain's chemical make up. The standard nature vs. nurture stuff. Experiencing emotional or mental trauma produces physical responses in people like anxiety, depression, disorders like hoarding or kleptomania, and mental illnesses like multiple personality disorder. And of course the emotional and the chemical are inseparable. We can treat the chemical results of emotional trauma with our own chemicals manufactured in pharmacies worldwide.
So where is our identity if it is so intricately tied into biology? It appears as though we are products of biology. Yet being products of biology denies any stand-alone value of identity. How do we determine who we are? How do we determine what is right and wrong in regards to how we medicate (personality alteration caused by prozac and the like).
What I think that I think:
There has to be a third element that gives clarity to the meaning of our identity and the biology that we inhabit. I think things are spiritual at their core. And I am currently willing to bet my life on the fact the spiritual trumps biological every time.
I have particular issue with the use of medication for depression. I know Christian's hate it when they are told that taking medication for their depression is lacking faith in Jesus. The Christian supporters of Jamie's declaration of Jesus and Zoloft are innumerable.
I'm also destroying any credibility I might claim by saying that I think mental illnesses are spiritually-caused. I realize the response is "don't you dare try and tell me that (I, my mom, my daughter, my brother) has a demon/is being plagued by a demon".
Quick and simple responses to these are not possible.
Yet to the first, I think that we are fighting a real battle against sin and the devil. And all the fighting we need to do is spiritual. If I'm actually going to claim to believe that Jesus was resurrected and that He has power over any kind of physical ailment, I need to believe that Jesus is also capable of freeing me from my depression. What if my depression is a really, really harsh and difficult battle to trust and believe God and fight the devil with faith? The psalms, to me, are ripe with very exact expressions of how I feel when I'm depressed, and the psalms fought those feelings by faith. I think that by hiding from the battle (taking medication) we are letting other priorities trump that of believing and knowing God. Whether that be the ability to carry on the semblance of a normal functioning life or to be able to hold onto the slightest feeling of control instead of becoming totally devastated and hopeless before God.
You may be thinking that medication is God's help. It's the lifeboat that He's sent which we are foolish to refuse. I disagree but can't prove myself right. Only re-iterate that I think God reigns over biology and that the mind is a different beast than the physical body. Anti-depression medication for the mind is not the same as insulin for the body. A sick mind is not the same as a sick body. We could debate this forever. I haven't thought about this as much as I probably should have before I wrote something about it... but simply that our identity is located in our minds, not our bodies, makes me willing to believe in the difference.
This then, leads to my belief that mental illness is spiritually-caused and needs to be spiritually healed. People may want to bang my head against the wall for believing that mental illnesses are caused by sin, evil and the devil. The book Darkness is my Only Companion by Kathyrn Greene-McCreight should be read and considered in this conversation (I need to re-read it). She is a Christian pastor taking various treatment for her bipolar disorder. I don't really want to argue with her because I think she has very wisely expressed her beliefs and choices. However, I think that mental illness, like depression, needs to be fought primarily on the spiritual front (by faith in Christ).
I believe that sin is very harshly present in our lives even when we are believers. The devil has a hold on us which will never be fully broken until we are resurrected in Christ. While we are still living on the earth we have to continually and repeatedly run to Christ so that, abiding in Him, we can be freed from sin. We aren't able to fully abide in Him as long as we are still sinful, and so the products of sin and evil remain in our lives. 'Mental illness' I believe to be one of these, just as is hate and jealousy and selfishness. All of these are completely impossible for us to conquer and prey upon us even when we fiercely fight them.
I think that the only true freedom from any biological ailment comes from Christ. And the item of critical importance is not being healed in this physical life, but making it to the eternal one. And helping other people get there. And the point of getting there is to abide in God, worship Him and glory in His perfection with Him.
So take the physical/mental ailments in a stride and keep fighting for faith in Christ. Fight the sin that our physical/mental corruption is evidence of by looking forward to the eternal things in Christ. You're life is not about you. You are not meant to be fighting for your health and happiness and safety. Fight for Christ. Don't be surprised if, though God can heal you, He lets you keep struggling and fighting. Now isn't the time for you to be perfect anyways (perfection comes later). Now is the time for fighting and for praying and for believing. The healing and peace you seek abides only in a place where sin is not present. Don't place your hopes in temporary healing, place your hopes in perfect eternal healing. All that really matters is Christ. He is all you will have once this confusing and corrupted earthly life passes away.
UPDATE: Please note that I'm still learning and my views on things are constantly being refined and changing. I usually function by taking a strong stance in one direction and then continually examining and altering it as I am convinced otherwise. I don't mean to impose my views on you, I'm just honestly saying where I'm at and what I'm believing right now.
