Food for thought

No, I don’t work for Desiring God. :-) But its ministry has had a profound influence on me as a follower of Christ and as a counselor, and I often recommend its resources to my clients. This article, by Dr. Michael Emlet, is another example.

Written by a biblical counselor who is also a medical doctor, it’s the best examination I’ve seen yet of the use of psychoactive medications (that is, medicines prescribed to help a person think and feel more normally) for Christians.

My own observation is that these medications are both over- and under-prescribed. Many people simply go to their primary care physicians for medication when they are anxious or depressed, and don’t consider working to discover and resolve the issues that contributed to the problem. These folks face a high likelihood of relapse when they eventually go off the meds. Other Christians feel a sense of shame at needing medication, as if using it would somehow represent failure. They’re likely to hesitate long before trying it, even though they may be working hard in counseling and making little progress because of racing thoughts or depressed mood. They are often the people who would benefit most from judiciously prescribed medication to help them work effectively in therapy.

Enough from me. If you’ve wondered about the validity of psychoactive medication for Christians, I hope you’ll click the link in the first paragraph and see what Dr. Emlet has to say.

In his peace,

Karen