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The Mind after Eden: Psychiatry in a Post-Fall World
There are many misconceptions about what mental health issues are, some of them existing in the heart of the church today. Adam humbly submits his experiences as a glimpse into how we might approach these issues to better care for our congregation and provide support to friends and family in times of hardship.
How should the Christian view the use of psychiatric medications? What is depression and anxiety? Is it a physical disease requiring medical intervention or a spiritual issue? Should Christians see a secular therapist or practice mindfulness? Pulling from his experience in medicine both as a student and in clinical practice, Adam weaves an integrated picture of what it means to be a physical body and an immaterial soul living in a fallen world.
There is hope in our gospel and common graces given by our loving Heavenly Father, to be stewarded well, as we await His making all things new.
How should the Christian view the use of psychiatric medications? What is depression and anxiety? Is it a physical disease requiring medical intervention or a spiritual issue? Should Christians see a secular therapist or practice mindfulness? Pulling from his experience in medicine both as a student and in clinical practice, Adam weaves an integrated picture of what it means to be a physical body and an immaterial soul living in a fallen world.
There is hope in our gospel and common graces given by our loving Heavenly Father, to be stewarded well, as we await His making all things new.
168 pages, Paperback
Published June 24, 2022
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September 12, 2022O’Neill addresses some difficult topics, doing so from both a biological viewpoint and a spiritual one. Though I was hoping for a little more from the biology-side (and honestly didn’t fully understand much of what was there) I was happily surprised by just how much Scripture was woven throughout the pages of this book. As well, he cites several authors and studies and also shares several stories from his life and psych practice. It is clear he has spent a lot of time thinking deeply on each of these ideas and I benefitted by reading and learning from him. I particularly appreciated the thoughtfulness on each topic in Part 2.
Some quotes I particularly appreciated:
On the Use of Therapy - “I got into the habit of writing negative emotions, thoughts, and painful events that happened on the index cards… The hardest part was not putting the cards in the box; it was pulling them out in the context of counseling.… Looking through those cards now, what was once so much pain fills me with hope. Good came from a lot of those trials and where good did not come, I have become stronger for walking through it.“ (118)
Delusions & Psychosis - “Present in the exam room were the pains of loss, the strain of economic hardship, the impact of disease, and the necessity (in this case) of medication, all of which are direct consequences of the fall. Those visits are emotionally draining and they threaten to convince us that we don’t serve a God who is ultimately in control.” (138)
Some quotes I particularly appreciated:
On the Use of Therapy - “I got into the habit of writing negative emotions, thoughts, and painful events that happened on the index cards… The hardest part was not putting the cards in the box; it was pulling them out in the context of counseling.… Looking through those cards now, what was once so much pain fills me with hope. Good came from a lot of those trials and where good did not come, I have become stronger for walking through it.“ (118)
Delusions & Psychosis - “Present in the exam room were the pains of loss, the strain of economic hardship, the impact of disease, and the necessity (in this case) of medication, all of which are direct consequences of the fall. Those visits are emotionally draining and they threaten to convince us that we don’t serve a God who is ultimately in control.” (138)
December 15, 2024
An insightful, personal reflection on all sorts of psychological topics. There’s some really great points in here!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews