May 31 concludes observance “mental health awareness month.” Although it seems the fields of psychology and mental health are “settled science,” Christians should approach them with caution and discernment. Many Christians perhaps haven’t considered that psychology and Scripture describe man in very different ways.
Last year, Dr William Hwang published an article entitled, “The Myth of Mental Health Diagnosis”[1] in the online journal, Psychology Today. His title echoes that of Thomas Szasz’ groundbreaking book, “The Myth of Mental Illness,” written over 60 years ago.[2]
Illustrating his title, Dr. Hwang examined a diagnosis of depression and noted, “Highly trained psychiatrists who independently evaluated an individual could only agree that the person had depression between 4 and 15 percent of the time.” In other words, “if you are diagnosed with depression by a clinician…there is an 85 to 96 percent chance that if you went to a second clinician, they might not diagnose you with depression.” In layman’s terms, the clinical psychologists’ batting average is about .150. He concludes they should be taken “with a grain of salt.”
These diagnoses are inconsistent because they are highly subjective. For instance, a diagnosis of “major depressive disorder” is based on “symptoms” that include: difficulty sleeping, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, and changes in psycho-motor movement, among others. So a diagnosis of depression is not the same as a diagnosis of flu or congestive heart failure.
Dr. Joseph Davis, research professor of sociology at the University of Virginia notes, “We have grown accustomed to hearing that yet another behavior, emotional state, temperament, or bodily experience – some feature of life not previously regarded as a syndrome or disorder or addiction or risk factor – will henceforth be defined and treated as a medical problem.”[3] This approach to behavioral issues is referred to as the “medical model.” Nobel laureate, Francis Crick, summarized it this way, “you, your joys and your sorrows, your memories and your ambitions, your sense of personal identity and free will, are in fact no more than the behavior of a vast assembly of nerve cells and their associated molecules.”[4] In other words, you are a highly evolved creature, but never more than chemistry.
This is the foundational conflict between the medical model and a biblical view of man and his behavior. God created man as a body-soul composite. Our emotions, affections, and desires are an aspect of our spirituality, not just the result of synapses of the brain. Yes, brain trauma resulting from injuries has an affect on behavior. For most of us, however, undesirable emotions and behavior are the effect of sin upon the soul.
When we embrace a biblical view of man and sin, we may then turn and embrace a biblical view of redemption and sanctification. The remedy to sin and its effects is found in the cross of Jesus Christ. No, he doesn’t promise immediate deliverance from every sinful desire and behavior, but he does promise forgiveness for and ultimate victory over sin. He also promises the help of his Holy Spirit working through his Word. In short, Christ’s resurrection power moves us from victim of circumstance to victor in the cross.
[1] Hwang, William. “The Myth of Mental Health Diagnosis.” Psychology Today, June 25, 2022. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/flex-your-feelings/202206/the-myth-mental-health-diagnosis.
[2] Szasz, Thomas S. The Myth of Mental Illness: Foundations of a Theory of Personal Conduct. 1. Harper Perennial ed., Ubdated. New York: Harper Perennial, 2010.
[3] Davis, Joseph. “All Pathology, All the Time.” The New Atlantis 66, no. Fall 2021. Accessed May 31, 2023. https://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/all-pathology-all-the-time.
[4] Ibid.
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