Mental Health Basics-1A Christian Perspective

Sik-Lam Wong黄锡林

May 19, 2015

The Bible Tells Us a Lot About Mental Health

• Human beings are created for relationships with God and people – Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be

alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” (Gen 2:18)– Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him,

“Where are you?” (Gen 3:9)• God entered into our world. Perhaps we should learn

to enter into another person’s world?– And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we

saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14)

The Bible, Brain Science and Psychology Are Converging on the issue of Relationships: We

are Wired for Relationships

Wired for Relationship: Prefrontal Cortex and Sensory System

• Prefrontal cortex allows us to read and communicate with another person– Mirror neurons

• Sight• Middle ear to filter out background noise to

hear speech better• Larynx for speech

Bonding/Relationships Starts With Mother

• Bonding between mother and child starts in the womb

• Bonding between young child and mother, father or caregiver

• Over time children and adults bond with their peers

• Special bond between husband and wife

Disorders from Problems with Relationships

• Lack of relationships can lead to anxiety or depression: fight or flight – Serious breakdowns in relationships such as abuse and

trauma can overwhelm the limbic system, and the person freezes and dissociates (PTSD)

• Lack of attachment between parents/primary caregiver and infant can lead to delinquency and anxious child/adult– Addiction as dysfunction in relationships– Orphans tend to have more issues due to disruption

with maternal bond in early childhood

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The Past Can Affect The Present

• An insecure childhood can result in an insecure person• Instability in the family, e.g., family discord, frequent

moves, immigration, divorce, chronic illness, abuse, domestic violence can affect a child– Survival over nurture

• Insecurity can affect our emotions: flight or fight– Emotion dysfunction: over-react– Behavior dysfunction: please, control, avoid, perfection, etc.– Interpersonal dysfunction: hard to do when one over-reacts– Cognition dysfunction: distorted, black and white thinking– Self dysfunction: I do not know what I want

Copyright Sik-Lam Wong NOT FOR PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

Issues from the Past Can be Passed to Next Generation

• Parents lack of emotion regulation can result in poor parenting skills

• Emotion regulation is one of the most important skills a parent can teach the children

• Parents need to work on own emotion regulation– Children with anxious or depressed in parents will

have higher incidences of anxiety and depression– Parents not able to attend to and comfort children

Bonding Takes Effort and Attunement: Still Face Experiment

Secure Home: Comfort and Safety

• Sometimes arguments between husband and wife may be cries for attachment– Need time for attunement between husband and wife

• Children may be looking for attachment when they misbehave

• Memories of comfort and safety and happy memories are the best gifts parents can give to their children– Applies to spouses too!

There are not perfect relationships, but only growing relationship!

Thank You