TOTAL health in a whole person demands healthy relationships in three areas—inward toward the self, outward toward others, and upward toward God. One might say that in all of human history, only three people have been completely healthy, normal, and sinless: Adam and Eve before their fall into sin, and, of course; Jesus Christ. Today, individuals are considered mentally healthy if they are;
(1) in contact with reality and
(2) sufficiently free of anxiety so that they are not significantly incapacitated functionally, socially, or biologically for any extended period of time.
With that modern definition in mind, we can look back and see that Daniel was one of the most mentally healthy persons in the Bible. When Daniel was only sixteen years old, his country, Judah, was captured by Babylon. Seeing that he was a gifted young man, the conquering king chose Daniel to be trained to occupy an administrative position in Babylon. Daniel, who was physically fit, intelligent, and socially poised, outlived several Babylonian kings. Finally, it pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by the exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally, these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God” (Dan 6: 5-8)
Characteristics
WHAT characteristics are found in a mentally healthy person?
• The first is the ability to function at full capacity; physically, intellectually, and emotionally. Many individuals cannot function adequately because of worry, anxiety, or depression. Some develop what is clinically called a neurosis. Daniel was “together” physically, intellectually and emotionally throughout his long life of more than eighty years. Maintaining a balance among those aspects of life leads to mental health.
• A second important characteristic is an ability to adapt to changing situations with self-control and discipline. Ego strength may be closely related to such a capacity for personal adjustment. A person with a strong ego can tolerate stress and cope with a wide variety of environmental situations. Healthy persons show that they are in contact with reality by reacting to all situations realistically. Although we all face stress and change from time to time, mentally healthy individuals react appropriately by exercising self-control, able to accept what is unchangeable and they are free from excessive, prolonged anxiety in the face of change. Daniel exemplified that quality. Taken from his country at a young age, never to see any of his relatives or friends again, he was able to adapt to a drastically different social situation.
• A third characteristic of a mentally healthy individual is an attitude of confidence, usually accompanied by a sense of humor, reflecting a basic sense of security. Optimism not only helps people tolerate stress but causes others to like them and place confidence in them, Daniel’s confidence stemmed from his faith in God. As a youth, he trusted God to keep him physically strong even though he refused the king’s food. Daniel expressed confidence to Nebuchadnezzar that he could interpret a dream he had never heard, Daniel was confident enough to tell another king of that king’s impending death, Daniel’s confidence was evident to a third king (Darius), who wanted to set him over the whole kingdom.
• Another characteristic found in mentally healthy persons is an unwavering purpose for life. Worthwhile goals to achieve give meaning and direction to one’s life Daniel had an eternal perspective. Living for God and God’s principles gave Daniel contentment and mental stability.
• Mentally healthy persons also relate well to a variety of people. Because they can accept the legitimate authority of individuals and institutions, they perform well on the job. They can make and keep friends, love, and be loved. A capacity for intimacy in close interpersonal relationships is a clue to mental health. Daniel possessed an ability to relate well to others in all stages of his life.
• An important characteristic of mental health is balance. The capacity to function in both dependent and independent roles, can be taken care of or to take care of oneself, to follow or to lead (depending on the circumstances) is a sign of health.
• Other signs are a balance between competition and compromising, between the ability to pursue one’s objectives alone and to work effectively with others. Daniel was a balanced individual and he was often subject to various foreign authorities over him, yet he could act independently when necessary. Daniel could be open and flexible but he also knew where to draw the line to avoid compromise. Healthy persons know how to strike a balance between being organized and being creative, Organizing their knowledge and experience to draw meaningful conclusions, they approach tasks and problems systematically but without over-systematizing. Too much organization can destroy creativity, so the most effective individuals generally have a healthy balance of both.
• Spiritual balance is also an indication between the Word of God, Prayer, Witnessing, and Christian fellowship. Churches or individual Christians who overemphasize prayer often seem too emotional. Those who overemphasize doctrine may seem cold. Those who overemphasize witnessing may at times offend others unnecessarily. Those who overemphasize fellowship and neglect the other basics of the Christian life may lack depth. Christians should seek a balance within themselves and the body of Christ.
• Another mark of mental health and maturity is dependability. Daniel was extremely trustworthy, as the passage quoted from Daniel 6 points out, high officials could find no evidence of corruption or negligence against him. His strong internal standards enabled him to resist social pressures to sin. He was dependable, not impulsive.
• Another criterion of mental health is the capacity to be other-centered. individuals wrapped up in their selfish desires, anger, jealousy, suspicions, and problems have little to give to others. Although high officials were jealous of and angry with Daniel, there is no indication that he ever had a bad attitude toward them. Once he showed concern for a group of wise men and even intervened for their lives, he had enough emotional strength to give to others and still deal with his problems.
• The ability to express and control emotion is an important aspect of mental health. Persons who can tolerate strong emotions have good ego strength. Healthy persons neither avoid situations that arouse strong emotions nor use the mechanisms of isolation and dissociation to keep from feeling. Their emotions are free and not repressed but their behavior is under control.
• Mentally healthy persons are usually satisfied with their maleness or femaleness. They are relatively free from fears and complexes involving sexuality and if married can enjoy active and satisfactory sex life.
• A final characteristic of mental health from a Christian perspective is a positive relationship with the Lord. The fact that Christians generally read the Bible daily is not only an indication of their mental health but also a major reason for it. The Word of God produces PEACE, JOY, and CONTENTMENT, and works against anxiety, depression, defensiveness, and immaturity. Daniel was a man of God’s Word who greatly valued “the law of his God.” His mental stability was reflected in his extreme courage in facing lions, foreign kings, and powerful people who were jealous of him.
As Christians, we need to accept God as our primary support system. We must realize that all people have dependency needs that must be met in healthy ways. God longs to be close to people and to meet their needs. He longs to love us, forgive us, and encourage us. God wants to be our primary support system. Daniel was a person who watched his world crumble around him. Although his external support system fell apart, Daniel was mentally healthy because God was his actual support system—a system that could never fail.
Mental Health Problems
ANOTHER way to understand mental health is to examine the reverse— mental illness. Individuals with mental health problems may have lost contact with reality. They may be so filled with anxiety that they suffer biologically, socially, or functionally. Such dysfunction persisting for more than a transient period is called mental illness. Three (3) criteria are useful in assessing the behavior of an individual as abnormal. The abnormality may exist if (1) behavior is at odds with the social expectations of the society in which the individual lives; (2) the individual experiences internal conflicts that lead to intense and prolonged feelings of insecurity, anxiety, or unhappiness; (3) an individual is troubled by conscious or unconscious alienation from God.
Sometimes abnormal behavior is determined by the cultural norm or by comparison to other individuals within the culture. One definition of abnormal behavior is any behavior that is maladaptive or harmful to the individual or society at large. Sometimes abnormal behavior is traceable directly to biological factors but beliefs may also cause trouble. The basic assumptions people make about God, themselves, and the world they live in contribute to their conscious and unconscious beliefs. Conflicting desires or erroneous views developed during childhood can lead individuals to experience stress in certain later events and can affect their responses to such an extent chat a psychological disorder is produced. Several kinds of emotional problems can grow an inadequate belief system, including guilt, poor self-image, excessive grief and depression. Mental illness may result if a person’s actions run counter to that individual’s own beliefs. To a large degree, inner tension is due to an individual’s failure to adjust properly to environmental pressures and stress, both past and present. Christians can maintain mental health by following five rules.
• First, they must accept the fact that life is not a “bed of roses” and will have its ups and downs. An attitude of acceptance and an ability to adjust is important,
• Second, Christians need to react to others humbly and lovingly and be unselfish and forgiving in relationships.
• Third, Christians need to develop for themselves a place in life where they feel secure and function successfully within the limits of their ability. Having a goal is very important.
• Fourth, Christians must have something to look forward to and not consider it a sin to enjoy themselves.
• Finally, there must be a wholeness to their faith in God. Belief and trust must lead Christians to practical action, to “good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:10).
(Copied from Introduction to Psychology and Counseling- Christian Perspectives and Applications
Paul D. Meier, M.D. Frank B. Minirth, M.D. Frank B. Wichern, Ph.D.)
