Part II: Understanding a Brief Psychosis Reaction (Nervous Breakdown)
I am sure that all of you have been waiting with bated breath on the answers to the case scenarios. We have to learn the signs/symptoms of an unhealthy church member before we get into psychopathology issues.
Signs of an Unhealthy Church Member:
- Obesity
- Poor Hygiene/Grooming
- Chronic Complainer
- Poor Attendance
- Seductive Clothing
- Trouble Maker
- Unbalanced Life (always at church)
- Bad Breath
Signs of a Healthy Church Member:
- Consistent Tither
- Sustained Prayer Life
- Regular Vacations
- Active bible study at home
- Non-confrontational
- Good Weight-Management
- Goal-directed
- Goal-oriented
- Family focused
- Not position hungry
Now that we have some basic ground rules, let’s take a look at the scenarios.
Scenario 1:
It is obvious that there is something going on with this guy in the workplace. Your best response would be #1. Please don’t get overly spiritual or involved with persons who have mental status changes. The life you save may be your very own. Sometimes when we move out of our daily occupations, we tend to get into serious trouble. As much as you may want to help, leave it to the mental health professionals. I am sure that HR may want a written e-mail or documentation from you. However, keep it simple and truthful and don’t over exaggerate anything.
Scenario 2:
Now let’s take a look at Scenario #2. The best answer here would be #5. Yes, offer food when they become more disruptive. You have to be very careful with this particular type of situation. A church can easily end-up in a lawsuit for inappropriate behavior. Also, when there has been maltreatment of a person with documented mental illness, the law is usually on their side. In my opinion, pastors should train their ministers and leaders on how to respond to a parishioner with mental status changes. This is very very important to the 21st Century Church.
Learn to take control of your mental health; go to the Dr. Owens Mental Health Prescreen Assessment and check your mental status today!
