Gossip

[Titus2woman]

This hits so close to home right now. First I want to say that I support everything that AYR said and then I'll add a story. I have a dear friend from church. She suffers with bipolar disorder and is on medications.... well was on medications... A couple of years back she shared with someone who is a preachers wife and should have been a mature sister that she had suffered from post-partum depression after her first child (18 years ago). She shared about her fears that she was going to hurt him when he was an infant and how it had affected her by causing her terrible worry that she would suffer again after the birth of her second child (she did not, meds kept her stable)...

Anyway this sister decided to spread some hyped up version of this story all over church pretty much only in her version or the revised versions after, my friend is a portrayed as a danger to children. She was dismissed from teaching Sunday school and has been left out of baby showers and other social activities of the church. This has really been upsetting to her and in an effort to prove she is not 'crazy' she has recently gone off all meds. I am worried sick that she will have a relapse of depression and have been in fervent and constant prayer. I am also fearful for those who spread these rumors and lies at the peril of their own souls. My friend is currently thinking about leaving the church to get away from all the controversy.

Unfortunately mental illness is still widely misunderstood and stigmatized. I counsel friends and family that they should never discuss their mental illness, psychological or psychiatric issues with anyone except paid professionals who are legally bound to keep confidence and possibly with very close family if they are loving and supportive. I am heartbroken that I feel this way but too many people are still ignorant and unable to be understanding. Too many have fear and with the legal culpability for employers that exists now a history of mental illness can even make one unemployable, especially in certain fields like medicine and education. Lives are ruined because of disclosure.

So while the bible tells us to confess our sins to one another and to bear one another's burdens, I'm afraid in this case I have to say from experience that it is better to keep things to yourself.

[AreYouReady?]

Originally Posted by Titus2woman

Anyway this sister decided to spread some hyped up version of this story all over church pretty much only in her version or the revised versions after, my friend is a portrayed as a danger to children. She was dismissed from teaching Sunday school and has been left out of baby showers and other social activities of the church. This has really been upsetting to her and in an effort to prove she is not 'crazy' she has recently gone off all meds. I am worried sick that she will have a relapse of depression and have been in fervent and constant prayer. I am also fearful for those who spread these rumors and lies at the peril of their own souls. My friend is currently thinking about leaving the church to get away from all the controversy.

Now this is really sad! I really feel sad for this lady!

The one who spread the hype set out to destroy this sister with her mouth. Shame on her! Not a good thing for her unless she repents, recants what she said and restores this woman to the fellowship.

If my advice was asked for, I would advise to your friend to immediately get back on her medications and restabilize her life. Something like this will allow her to spiral downwards until these circumstances cause her to relapse. This ignorance is not worth disrupting her own life. She does not have to prove anything to anybody. If she relapses, this will then give the ignorant people cause to say hmmm yes, we were right to strip her of her dignity. She was not worthy to serve the Lord in the capacity she was in. We were right. <of course you know I am being being sarcastic towards the perpetrators>

Reality is, she has a brain chemical imbalance, but sounds to me like those "good" people do not want to be educated.

God will restore her serving Him either in that church or somewhere else. He knows her inner heart.

Originally Posted by Titus2woman

Unfortunately mental illness is still widely misunderstood and stigmatized. I counsel friends and family that they should never discuss their mental illness, psychological or psychiatric issues with anyone except paid professionals who are legally bound to keep confidence and possibly with very close family if they are loving and supportive. I am heartbroken that I feel this way but too many people are still ignorant and unable to be understanding. Too many have fear and with the legal culpability for employers that exists now a history of mental illness can even make one unemployable, especially in certain fields like medicine and education. Lives are ruined because of disclosure.

So while the bible tells us to confess our sins to one another and to bear one another's burdens, I'm afraid in this case I have to say from experience that it is better to keep things to yourself.

Yes, this is good advice. I've learned the hard way that even though you think that you can trust someone with something so important happening in your life, at some point in time, some will only use it to further their own agenda...whatever that may be...to make you look bad and them look great.

[The Matt]

Originally Posted by Titus2woman

This hits so close to home right now. First I want to say that I support everything that AYR said and then I'll add a story. I have a dear friend from church. She suffers with bipolar disorder and is on medications.... well was on medications... A couple of years back she shared with someone who is a preachers wife and should have been a mature sister that she had suffered from post-partum depression after her first child (18 years ago). She shared about her fears that she was going to hurt him when he was an infant and how it had affected her by causing her terrible worry that she would suffer again after the birth of her second child (she did not, meds kept her stable)...

Anyway this sister decided to spread some hyped up version of this story all over church pretty much only in her version or the revised versions after, my friend is a portrayed as a danger to children. She was dismissed from teaching Sunday school and has been left out of baby showers and other social activities of the church. This has really been upsetting to her and in an effort to prove she is not 'crazy' she has recently gone off all meds. I am worried sick that she will have a relapse of depression and have been in fervent and constant prayer. I am also fearful for those who spread these rumors and lies at the peril of their own souls. My friend is currently thinking about leaving the church to get away from all the controversy.

Unfortunately mental illness is still widely misunderstood and stigmatized. I counsel friends and family that they should never discuss their mental illness, psychological or psychiatric issues with anyone except paid professionals who are legally bound to keep confidence and possibly with very close family if they are loving and supportive. I am heartbroken that I feel this way but too many people are still ignorant and unable to be understanding. Too many have fear and with the legal culpability for employers that exists now a history of mental illness can even make one unemployable, especially in certain fields like medicine and education. Lives are ruined because of disclosure.

So while the bible tells us to confess our sins to one another and to bear one another's burdens, I'm afraid in this case I have to say from experience that it is better to keep things to yourself.

God bless her for her strength. I hope her thoughts aren't purely on trying to prove a point, and she sincerely wants to live without the bondage of medication. I'm in the same boat as my pastor, if someone is prescribed something from a doctor, they need it. However that being said, when I was diagnosed, I was asked questions that every single person feels sometimes in their lives, especially someone under the influence of drugs. I feel the only thing I should have been treated for was temporary depression WHEN I NEED IT, and substance abuse. Instead, every time I felt something different during the time I was away from the doctor, then "Oh that means you're this, let's put you on this. Oh that means you're that, let's put you on that." That coupled with my want to be on different medications for the effects of them, I was just on a downward spiral. Before the end of it, I was on five different medications, and now I feel things I never felt before I started being treated. The medication I'm on now, I'm addicted to and I can't sleep without. That plus the fact that the detox is horrible from this stuff, is why I'm still on it.