Mental health promotion can challenge the stigma, fear and misunderstanding surrounding mental health issues. The Church can play a vital role in this respect.
The life of the parish community, together with the resources and actions of individuals, can both help to prevent mental health difficulties as well as helping with the management of and recovery from mental illness.
By demonstrating acceptance and understanding, people with mental health difficulties may be encouraged to see the Church as a sanctuary and feel encouraged to seek help. The knowledge and reassurance of an eternal source of unconditional love and the experience of non-judgemental compassion and understanding from Christians can be an enormous comfort and source of hope. Parishes can provide valuable emotional support, or spiritual guidance, to people with mental health problems as well as their carers and families and by recognising symptoms of mental illness, parishes can also encourage referral to other forms of professional help when needed. The Church community can help in a number of important ways:
Offer friendship
Churches can offer informal neighbourly care, openness and friendship to people who may be vulnerable.
Value people with mental health problems
The church can provide a safe and welcoming community and help to improve quality of life. Equally, people with mental health problems can offer a valuable contribution to the life and work of the church. For example, by sharing their experiences and participating in communal and spiritual life.
Promote the mental health of the whole community
The church is an important setting for promoting mental well-being for everyone. Activities and groups that may take place in church premises, for example youth groups, older people‘s groups, drop-in centres, mother and toddler groups, user and self-help groups and other community activities can contribute to mental well-being and help reduce social exclusion.
Raise awareness about mental health and challenging stigma
Talking openly about the mental health needs of the whole community fosters understanding of the issues and dispels notions of them and us‘. Training or discussion groups help to raise awareness and dispel myths. Accepting and welcoming all people sends a powerful message to those who fear or mistrust others. Ask your parish to sign up to ‘Time to Change’, England’s biggest ever mental health anti-stigma campaign. Follow the link (www.time-to-change.org.uk) for ideas, free resources, news and lots more
Support people at key points in their lives.
People are likely to turn to their faith community at times of great change or crisis in their lives, or to mark deeply significant events like birth, marriage or bereavement. In the case of bereavement, ministers have an important role to play in increasing awareness of the need for time to grieve, for both adults and children, and in assisting access to practical help and support during bereavement. Support at these times can strengthen the well-being of individuals, families and communities.
Link people to mental health services.
For some people, a church may be a first point of contact and can act as a link and referral system to statutory mental health services and other sources of support in the community.
Offer emotional, social and practical support.
The church community provides an informal setting for users and carers to meet with others. Church members may make pastoral visits to vulnerable people. A range of help and advice can be on hand. For some people, particularly those who are isolated or vulnerable, the church may be the only place where they can meet socially and one of the few sources of information and support.
Provide spiritual resources.
It is known that spiritual resources can play an important role in the survival strategies of people with mental health problems by providing:
• Wider feelings of sharing and community.
• A source of personal inner strength, fostering both perseverance and forgiveness.
• Faith as a source of comfort and support.
Offer the sacred space of a church building.
Some find a church has a special positive atmosphere or aura. It might bring back particular memories of baptisms, weddings or funerals which connect them with significant others. Many churches are symbolic in their design, pointing to possibilities beyond themselves. The size of a building can encourage a sense of the transcendent. Art, artefacts and music, may provide encouragement and inspiration. The sense of connectedness‘ to other people, to tradition, to oneself or to God‘ or Other‘ may be achieved more readily in a church building for some people. Thus churches, particularly OPEN churches play a part in promoting mental health.
Support Carers
Churches can have a role in supporting Carers. Very often they are family members, but may also be neighbours or other friends, who give help and support in a wide variety of ways. Many Carers experience isolation, physical ill-health and a sense of having to put their own life on hold. Their needs are often overlooked. A church community can be a safe place where they can express their feelings openly.
Hold a special service
Churches could hold a special service to mark World Mental Health Day (10 October) and to celebrate our commitment and work in promoting good mental health. The service is one way to remember all who have Mental Health difficulties and those who seek to help and work with them.