I recently came across an story of a man who cured someone of "madness" in Nigeria. The man who was cured was thought to be a certified lunatic by all who saw him. Even his mother was afraid of him and had abandoned him. He went around the town in rags, muttering to himself. He preferred to sleep outdoors in the bushes and would go days without a bath, picking up nylon bags, old clothes, and rope that he kept wrapped around him. In short, he looked awful. He lived that way for years and was violent to anyone who tried to approach him because he imagined that they mocked him, which granted, some did. What happened to him? No one is sure. But it seems like he was an eccentric introvert, and people thought he was weird. His eccentricities were not regarded with kindness but with cruel mockery. Which combined with his extreme sensitivity and introversion may have warped his mind and made him withdraw rom society.

However, the author of that story was able to pull that man back from insanity by treating him like a human being. He extended the hand of friendship to this weird, unwaged man who wore rags and walked around on bare feet. He listened to his ramblings and sat with him in companionable silences. It was a labor born of love. In this case, the fruit was that this man is cured. And now lives his life in community with his family and friends who had previously abandoned him, who all came back after they heard he was cured. Love was the answer.

The symptoms of mental health issues can look and feel like just normal, emotional experiences by most people. But the difference is when they occur more frequently and they last longer, disrupting the quality of the patient's life. Some of these symptoms are:

Anxiety.
Constant anxiety impeding work or learning is a symptom that all is not well.
Depression.
Emotional outbursts of rage, anger or even manic episodes of happiness. Sudden and extreme highs and lows.
Sleep problems. Disrupted sleep patterns, insomnia, and oversleeping can all be symptoms of deeper mental issues.
Weight changes. Sudden weight gain or weight loss points to sudden increased appetite or loss of appetite.
Withdrawal from society, friends, and family. Quietness and distance can be signs of schizophrenia https://godlylifeandhealth..com

Cc: lalasticlala, Seun, HumbledbYGrace

Christians dey mental?
Lai Lai!

AntiChristian:
Christians dey mental?
Lai Lai!

A deluded person is already mental.

MizCharm:
However, the author of that story was able to pull that man back from insanity by treating him like a human being. He extended the hand of friendship to this weird, unwaged man who wore rags and walked around on bare feet. He listened to his ramblings and sat with him in companionable silences. It was a labor born of love. In this case, the fruit was that this man is cured. And now lives his life in community with his family and friends who had previously abandoned him, who all came back after they heard he was cured. Love was the answer.

The symptoms of mental health issues can look and feel like just normal, emotional experiences by most people. But the difference is when they occur more frequently and they last longer, disrupting the quality of the patient's life. Some of these symptoms are:

Anxiety.
Constant anxiety impeding work or learning is a symptom that all is not well.
Depression.
Emotional outbursts of rage, anger or even manic episodes of happiness. Sudden and extreme highs and lows.
Sleep problems. Disrupted sleep patterns, insomnia, and oversleeping can all be symptoms of deeper mental issues.
Weight changes. Sudden weight gain or weight loss points to sudden increased appetite or loss of appetite.
Withdrawal from society, friends, and family. Quietness and distance can be signs of schizophrenia

So i fail to see what you claim is a "Christian" approach to the handling this or any other illness out there?

Is there such a thing as a "Christian" approach to handling any kind of illness? I don't believe there is any such thing.

This was a good piece, but it seems to be lacking more info.
Perhaps there is more info but one has to click the link...not sure.

The theme I saw in the story was patient & consistent "love" displayed and implemented towards the mentally-challenged person by the other person, which in effect helped rehabilitate the person and integrate him back into society.

Perhaps the person displaying the love towards the mentally challenged man is a Christian. Or perhaps both are Christians. FYI, a christian can also struggle with mental issues because of various reasons. If one is a human, then he/she is not exempt from temptations, illnesses, struggles etc.,

I know that "love" particularly Christ Jesus'/God's love, MUST be the basis for anyone who professes Him. Christ' template was shown through His life on earth as written in His Word. We are instructed to live as He did...to have His character ingratiated through us.
More than likely, the person who helped the man had some form of relationship with the Lord. Perhaps the person befriended the man first, tended to his needs and then through his loving attention, displayed Christ and could guide the person to Him.

As I've said before on this forum, introducing Christ Jesus as the Ultimate One who can give the sin-sick soul (no matter the form) healing, rest and peace, is mandatory for a follower of Christ. He CAN NEITHER BE excluded nor exempted. If a person has the gift of healing and is a sincere follower of Christ, it is Christ (working through the person) who gives the healing....so the glory & praise goes to God alone.

Helping mentally-challenged people practically involves in many cases, Christian counseling-where the mandatory concept of prayer to God/ developing a relationship with Him--must be first, (be they Christian or not), involving them in practical methods that can help stimulate them spiritually, mentally, and physically. It takes patience and time...and not everyone can do it. But it takes a person (the giver) willing to serve/help and the other person (receiver) willing to receive.

You really understood the topic ma

Eviana:
This was a good piece, but it seems to be lacking more info.
Perhaps there is more info but one has to click the link...not sure.

The theme I saw in the story was patient & consistent "love" displayed and implemented towards the mentally-challenged person by the other person, which in effect helped rehabilitate the person and integrate him back into society.

Perhaps the person displaying the love towards the mentally challenged man is a Christian. Or perhaps both are Christians. FYI, a christian can also struggle with mental issues because of various reasons. If one is a human, then he/she is not exempt from temptations, illnesses, struggles etc.,

I know that "love" particularly Christ Jesus'/God's love, MUST be the basis for anyone who professes Him. Christ' template was shown through His life on earth as written in His Word. We are instructed to live as He did...to have His character ingratiated through us.
More than likely, the person who helped the man had some form of relationship with the Lord. Perhaps the person befriended the man first, tended to his needs and then through his loving attention, displayed Christ and could guide the person to Him.

As I've said before on this forum, introducing Christ Jesus as the Ultimate One who can give the sin-sick soul (no matter the form) healing, rest and peace, is mandatory for a follower of Christ. He CAN NEITHER BE excluded nor exempted. If a person has the gift of healing and is a sincere follower of Christ, it is Christ (working through the person) who gives the healing....so the glory & praise goes to God alone.

Helping mentally-challenged people practically involves in many cases, Christian counseling-where the mandatory concept of prayer to God/ developing a relationship with Him--must be first, (be they Christian or not), involving them in practical methods that can help stimulate them spiritually, mentally, and physically. It takes patience and time...and not everyone can do it. But it takes a person (the giver) willing to serve/help and the other person (receiver) willing to receive.

I don't know if this story is the same story which I read sometime ago, about a Christian guy who HEALED a lunatic. If it is, then it's funny how anyone would say 'love" was what cured the mad man. Whoever feels it was all about love and not the power of God should go and look for a mad man or mad child and show love, let's see if healing will take place.

From the write up above, it looks like the OP is already concluding that the mad man's family didn't care or show him love. How can we claim to be sure his family didn't treat him well? Besides, it's a risk to relate with someone with a serious mental health challenge if you aren't an expert. Last year, there was a story about a man and his mentally challenged brother. His family kept him home and showed him love and care. The man who was wealthy made it a habit to slaughter ram and cook for the entire neighbourhood during their festivities. Well, the weathy man's lunatic brother used the matchet meant for the ram to butcher and killed his wealthy brother on the spot. Whoever feels madness can be cured by love should look for the next available mad man on the street.

The thing is, mental sickness needs to be UNDERSTOOD. But how can you understand something when you put it far from you and are afraid of it?

Some of these people we see roaming around can be cured if only someone loved them enough to try to find out the cause of their problem and then try to find a solution either by proper diagnosis with a doctor or by sedation to curb their violent tendencies (western medicine has had a lot of success in managing such).

The point remains that a little compassion can go a long way.