On Mental Illness and Spirituality

Let me preface this with a very strong disclaimer: I am not a mental health professional. If you are experiencing mental distress, have been diagnosed with a mental illness, have a history with mental illness, or are feeling unstable, please consult a licensed mental health provider. If you are in the U.S. and do not have a provider, please contact NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). If you are feeling suicidal, please call the Prevention Hotline (national number) 1-800-273-8255. The Trevor line for LGBTQIA+ Youth 1-866-488-7386. The Trans Lifeline 1-877-565-8860.

What I am: I am a person who has experienced mental illness both as a patient (PTSD, Depression, Suicide Attempt), and as a friend and relative of people who have a variety of mental illnesses which are not mine to disclose. I have experience in fighting for access to help for myself and others. I am also a rune and cards reader and medium. I am also a cult survivor, and sensitive to the signs of shysterism. ("Shyster"is a pretty crude Yiddish word for unscrupulous person - crook, "shitter", etc.)

So. A serious issue within the spiritual community is the pitting of psychic abilities against mental illness. There are some who will write off mental illness as being simply the manifestation of spiritual phenomenon. This is dangerous. It is dishonest. It usually comes with promises or offers of cure-by-exorcism (traveling under a variety of names - everything from "cleansing" to shamanic sessions), and sometimes training to better manage the abilities, visions, or etc.

While spiritual practice can help one find solace, even joy, it is never a replacement for care for chemical imbalances or psychological help. Of course I do not discount the existence of spirits, and, yes, they can present to many people, including people with mental illness (raises hand). However, if you are diagnosed schizophrenic, being told that you need to engage with the spirits manifesting as hallucinations rather than taking medication is abuse.

There are predators within the spiritual community. There are also misguided people who have a psychic hammer and to whom everything is a spirit nail. Both sorts are dangerous.

We live in very stressfull times. Many people have lingering trauma, going back from before Covid, and certainly as a result of the societal shut-down during the pandemic. Many of us are looking for new ways to live, new paths to healthiness and balance. I think this search is itself healthy. What is not healthy is the wholesale rejection on psychiatry and psychology as tools to help aid in recovery or maintenence of mental health.

Are there things psychiatry cannot do? Surely. Are there things that spiritual practice cannot do? Surely. Recognizing which is which is important, and can be confusing and complex. Adding to the complexity are issues of finding the right medication, access to diagnosis, and so many other structural barriers. The state of mental health care in the United States is dire - as is general access to health care. Yes, we all do what we can to fill the gaps. But you cannot fill a pothole with mardi gras beads and just call it good. Anyone who tells you otherwise is a shyster.