As we reported earlier today, nearly a third of Christian people in a study who went to their clergy for assistance with a personal or family member’s mental illness were told they (or their family member) didn’t really have a mental health problem. Instead, it was suggested to them that it was just a spiritual crisis. (The mental illness was already diagnosed by a mental health professional, so there was little question about the validity of the diagnosis.)

The study found this occurred more often with women, and in conservative churches.

A disturbing data-point. Clergy should not be making any type of judgment or diagnosis regarding the people in their church and I’m not at all clear as to why a clergy member or church leader would do so.

Perhaps the problem lies in that clergy often get training and education in human behavior and relationships, not dissimilar to that of many mental health professionals. Or perhaps it’s the opposite — stigma and ignorance about what a serious mental illness is and how severely it can impact a person’s life.

Read the full article: Clergy Often Dismiss Mental Illness

Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

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