CHURCHES EMBRACE MENTALLY ILL.Byline: Jeff Wright Jeff Wright can refer to:
Visiting Minnesota last summer, Sheila Sundahl went to church and couldn't help but notice the mentally ill woman talking aloud to herself. But Sundahl was even more surprised by what happened when the service ended and people started to leave. "Almost to a person, they went up to that woman, called her by name, asked about her, told her about their lives," Sundahl said. "It was so clear that she was cared for and loved by that congregation." The episode runs counter to the stereotype that still plays out at some churches, where a mentally ill person's presence can produce fear and embarrassment and eyes that look away. It's a stereotype Sundahl is intent on erasing in her own town of Eugene. Since last fall, the retired high school English teacher has worked to connect people of various religious faiths eager to spread the word about mental illness outreach and treatment. Her group, the Mental Illness and Faith Community task force, meets again Tuesday. For Sundahl, 60, the motivation is partly personal: Her adult son, Ian, unexpectedly fell victim three years ago to bipolar disorder bipolar disorder, formerly manic-depressive disorder or manic-depression, severe mental disorder involving manic episodes that are usually accompanied by episodes of depression. , a mental illness characterized by excessive highs or periods of mania, followed by dramatic lows of severe depression. The illness sent Ian, then 25, and his parents into emotional upheaval as he endured two serious car accidents during manic episodes manic episode Psychiatry A period characterized by a persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood, with ↑ energy, ↓ sleep, distractibility, impaired judgement, grandiosity, flights of ideas, and so on, most often affecting Pts < age 25; MEs and three trips to a psychiatric hospital psychiatric hospital n. A hospital for the care and treatment of patients affected with acute or chronic mental illness. Also called mental hospital. . To help cope, Sheila Sundahl joined a support group offered by the Lane County chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. She soon became a NAMI NAMI National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (now National Alliance on Mental Illness) NAMI National Alliance on Mental Illness (formerly National Alliance for the Mentally Ill ) NAMI Naval Aerospace Medical Institute volunteer and now serves as chapter vice president. In working with other volunteers and families touched by mental illness, Sundahl said she was struck by how many gave voice to a strong personal faith. The seed to create an interfaith awareness group was planted. Her goal is straightforward: Get more congregations more involved in learning about mental illness and how to engage and support people who have the disease. "There are so many resources out there available to help people," said Sundahl, a longtime member at First United Methodist Church First United Methodist Church is a common name for the first United Methodist church established in a particular locality. Many First United Methodist Churches exist around the world. . "But what are they? How do you get them? What's worked? What's not worked? Some churches are light years ahead of others in educating their congregations." Beyond education, the next step is to actually reach out and help people with mental illness, Sundahl said. So far, that has mostly meant being more welcoming of the mentally ill and adapting more to their special needs, she said. Some advocates debate whether government or private agencies should take the lead in helping mentally ill people, but Sundahl has no time for such disputes. "We need people to fight this ugly and dream-destroying illness - where we are and where we live," she said. Turning to churches, she acknowledged, can be tricky - especially among congregations that may continue to equate mental illness with demonic possession Demonic possession, in supernatural belief systems, is a form of spiritual possession whereby certain malevolent extra-dimensional entities, demons, gain control over a mortal person's body, which is then used for an evil or destructive purpose. or sinful natures, rather than with chemical imbalances chemical imbalance Psychology A popular term of uncertain utility, which refers to a belief that many, if not all, mental disorders are attributable to a disequilibrium of one or more neurotransmitters in the brain. Sufferers can also get entangled en·tan·gle tr.v. en·tan·gled, en·tan·gling, en·tan·gles 1. To twist together or entwine into a confusing mass; snarl. 2. To complicate; confuse. 3. To involve in or as if in a tangle. around religious themes, struggling to discern, for example, whether "it's God speaking or their mental illness speaking" when they hear voices in their heads, Sundahl said. Another challenge is what to do when a mentally ill person acts out inappropriately at church. Sundahl's church is one of a handful in town that's held workshops on that very topic. Such risks are real but worth taking, said Evelyn Anderton, development director for the private ShelterCare agency in Eugene and one of Sundahl's biggest supporters. Anderton, whose agency helps find housing for mentally ill people, said churches can play a crucial role in helping such people get better. "The more social outlets they have, the greater their recovery will be," she said. "Isolation is a huge problem for people with mental illness. If they know there's a group of people who will accept them and be with them, it makes a huge difference." Anderton said she's especially impressed with Sundahl's success at drawing people with a broad range of beliefs - from Eugene Faith Center and St. Mary Catholic to First Congregational con·gre·ga·tion·al adj. 1. Of or relating to a congregation. 2. Congregational Of or relating to Congregationalism or Congregationalists. Adj. 1. and Unitarian Universalist. "It gives me hope that we really are reaching out to many more people," she said. Marion Leslie, a participant from Central Presbyterian Church Located on the northeast corner of Brazos and Bois d'Arc (now Eighth Street), Central Presbyterian Church in Austin Texas traces its roots to the organization of the first Presbyterian church in Austin on Sunday, October 13, 1839. That event, conducted by Rev. , said mental illness doesn't respect denominational boundaries. "There are too many people in all congregations who have people in their own families (with mental illness), but they don't want to admit it," she said. "Too many people are afraid." For Sundahl, her outreach and her religious beliefs dovetail dovetail (dov´tāl), n a widened or fanned-out portion of a prepared cavity, usually established deliberately to increase the retention and resistance form. nicely. "I think Jesus' most important command was, `Love they neighbor as thyself thy·self pron. Archaic Yourself. Used as the reflexive or emphatic form of thee or thou. thyself pron Archaic the reflexive form of thou1 .' To me, that means loving with understanding and compassion - to embrace people where they are." It's the approach she adopted with her son, with what appears to be encouraging results. Now 28, Ian Sundahl is faring well with a regimen of therapy and medication. A talented painter, he'll begin classes this month at the San Francisco Art Institute This article describes the San Francisco Art Institute, which should not be confused with the unaffiliated Art Institute of California - San Francisco. Founded in 1871, the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) is one of the U.S. , where he'll pursue his master's of fine arts degree. He's got an apartment and is eager to get started. "Now that I'm stabilized, it's good to have a clean slate Noun 1. clean slate - an opportunity to start over without prejudice fresh start, tabula rasa chance, opportunity - a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances; "the holiday gave us the opportunity to visit Washington"; "now is your chance" ," he said. COMING UP What: "In Our Own Voice: Living with Mental Illness" video and presentation. Meeting open to all people interested in promoting mental illness awareness among churches When: 4 p.m. Tuesday, First United Methodist Church, 1376 Olive St. Denominations represented so far: Methodist, Catholic, Foursquare, Congregational, Baptist, Unitarian Universalist, Episcopalian, Presbyterian Information: 344-8415 HOW CHURCHES CAN HELP Ways to address mental illness: Befriend be·friend tr.v. be·friend·ed, be·friend·ing, be·friends To behave as a friend to. befriend Verb to become a friend to Verb 1. church members with mental illness Suggest or donate books on mental illness to church library Pray for those with mental illness Conduct training sessions on mental illness Confront stigmas and stereotypes Organize support groups for people with mental illness Publicize pub·li·cize tr.v. pub·li·cized, pub·li·ciz·ing, pub·li·ciz·es To give publicity to. publicize or -cise Verb [-cizing, -cized] information on mental illness in newsletter Provide meeting space to mental illness groups Choose churchwide project to help people with mental illness - Mental Illness and Faith Community task force CAPTION(S): Sheila Sundahl is shown with paintings by her son, Ian, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder three years ago. He will begin classes this month at the San Francisco Art Institute. Sundahl has been instrumental in helping those with problems by forming the Mental Illness and Faith Community task force. |
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