Friday, June 23, 2006
The Indicators of Psychological Health
Psychologists define psychological health as good adaptation within a person and between him and his society. It means that he reaches some kind of social and psychological balance.
In fact, this state of social and psychological adaptation and balance is preeminently possible in Christian life because of divine support for man in his daily struggle, whether at the individual or societal level.
What are the indicators of psychological health identified by the psychologists? What is the role of Christianity in attaining these indicators and achieving psychological health.
The Indicators of Psychological Health are:
1- Happiness
This is the first indicator of emotional health when man is free of sadness, conflict, and a feeling of failure. This is certainly possible in our life in Christ because most of man’s troubles result from personal failure in overcoming sin, habits, harmful tendencies, or from the failure to achieve self-fulfillment and personal objectives, such as spiritual, psychological, educational, professional, or social success.
There is no doubt that our life in Christ is the means of our private and public success, whether psychological or social because in Christ, “we can do all things”. This means that when the Lord of glory enters our live, hearts, minds, wills, and aspirations, He gives us victory, “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Rom. 8:37).
The wonderful light of Christ, His infinite love, His heavenly grace, and His Holy Spirit when added to our great human weakness are the secret of full success in all aspects of life. “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build” (Neh. 2:20). “That you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers” (3 Jn. 1:2).
Thus man is enabled to conquer the multifarious daily hindrances whether from inside or outside himself, and to achieve adaptation, balance, and happiness. “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4) The Lord is our temporal and eternal treasure who grants us prosperity, contentment, and happiness. Then we will be “rich in good works” (1Tim. 6; 18).
2- Balance
“The path of moderation has saved many,” we are taught by our fathers; “do not be too righteous,” the wise man said. Achieving a balance is a basic factor in mental health for the psyche is free of extremes, exaggeration, fanaticism and intolerance on the one hand, and also free from heedlessness and passiveness on the other. A mentally healthy person is a well-balanced person. He is neither totally self-reliant (without Christ), nor does he feel desperate and a failure. He is self-confident in Christ and because of Christ who works in him.
He is neither overly ambitious nor lazy and aimless, for God grants him the ability to use his talents. Under good spiritual guidance, man himself can weigh all his needs and his characteristics. He makes sure he is spiritually nourished through prayer and mentally satisfied through culture and is self-controlled. He takes care of his body through nutrition, recreation, sports, and rest, and of his relationships through social success.
3- Self-acceptance
This does not mean being boastful or accepting sin, but it means being content with what the Lord has given one in the way of gifts, talents, or appearance. It also means accepting even of those unfavorable traits and weaknesses, even physical or psychological handicaps and a certain level of intelligence He has allowed us to have.
The purpose of the Christian is not self-aggrandizement but consecration to Christ. That is why he accepts himself the way he is and presents it to Christ to sanctify, use, develop, and grow. He is not divided against himself, nor does he despise himself and reject the weaknesses God has seen fit to allow him. He converts these into humility, prayer and fellowship so that God may be glorified in our weakness. “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2Cor. 12:10). “Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation” (Js. 1:9). “Yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me” (1Cor. 15:10).
4- Accepting others
“To the pure, all things are pure” (Tit. 1:15). This is an important Biblical tenet. When Christ baptizes our human perception, we see that everything around us is pure and beautiful. Such a person is sound, but the sick individual only sees the negative aspects of people, their weak-nesses and vices, rather than their virtues and gifts. It is a defense mechanism known as “belittling” in which he does not cease from judging others in order to divert attention from his own secret defects and weaknesses.
The Christian, however, is called upon to accept others with love and to take note of their favorable characteristics and gifts. He is required to deal with others as beings who are created in the image of God. He does not wait for the other to be good or cooperative, but loves him as he is just like Christ loves us. He takes him as he is, not as he would like him to be.
The Christian’s heart is open to all without in any way foregoing the essence of his religion or his sound principles.
5- Social Competence
One of the characteristics of a successful personality is social competence. This entails the ability to have good relation-ships with others in the family, on the street, in school, in church, and in society. He is able, with the grace of Christ, to interact well with all. He is a gently diffuse light, salt that dissolves in love, and a pleasing and reviving fragrance of amazing spontaneity. He is a letter written on the heart, read and known by all, and not only by Christians.
Christianity is opposed to isolation and detachment. It can make of its children individuals who are open to society, who love and are loved, who are strong and flexible, firm without intolerance, and loving without abandoning principles.
6- Realistic Goals
A healthy individual does not insist on having unrealistic and unattainable goals. He is aware of reality and does not immerse himself in daydreams of impossible ambitions.
Christianity certainly encourages us in this when it requires us to be contented. “Be contented with what you have”. “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Rom. 12:3). “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1Tim. 6:6).
Contentment is not against developing and improving human intellectual, educational, practical, and material capabilities as long as they all glorify God. The purpose is not to inflate the ego or to worship dust and matter.
The Christian attempts to improve his life and “to use this world as not misusing it” (1Cor. 7:31). He develops his various potentialities always aiming for improvement, not out of selfish ambition but in order to use his talents for the glory of Christ and to enjoy a happy life in the Lord.
7- Existential Independence
That means that a person is not emotionally dependent on anyone who enslaves his heart, monopolizes his feelings, and makes it impossible for him to deal with others. Normal human emotions that are not subjected to reason are soon converted into bonds and enslavement, into hateful egoism, and maybe even into sins. Emotions that are controlled by reason and sanctified by the Spirit are characterized by:
+ Growing and spreading to include all.
+ Not being enslaved by anyone or anything.
+ Not fickle but stable.
+ Enlightened so that a person is not lost.
+ Purity and cleanliness because of the work of the Spirit within.
8- Intellectual Independence
This means a person is a slave to no one or to no specific school of thought. He has a mind that is open to all people and schools and has spiritual and intellectual discernment because of two reasons:
+ The Spirit of God dwells within him, guiding him to all truth.
+ The word of God is instilled in him, a lamp to light his path.
That is why the psychologically healthy individual does not close his mind to anyone or reject the ideas of others without discussion or examination. He does not reject the opinions of others without giving them the chance to explain and propound them.
Intellectual intolerance is evidence of immaturity. However, this does not mean that a person’s mind should be like an open road or an unfenced garden. Intellectual passivity is also a scourge. A person who is enlightened by the Spirit and the word is able to discriminate between the fat and the lean. He does not close his mind, nor does he lack discrimination. He engages in discussions and interacts with others in order to reach the truth through the Holy Spirit who lives within us.
May God grant that our spirits may be healthy throughout our lives to the glory of His Name and our personal happiness as well as the happiness of others.
In fact, this state of social and psychological adaptation and balance is preeminently possible in Christian life because of divine support for man in his daily struggle, whether at the individual or societal level.
What are the indicators of psychological health identified by the psychologists? What is the role of Christianity in attaining these indicators and achieving psychological health.
The Indicators of Psychological Health are:
1- Happiness
This is the first indicator of emotional health when man is free of sadness, conflict, and a feeling of failure. This is certainly possible in our life in Christ because most of man’s troubles result from personal failure in overcoming sin, habits, harmful tendencies, or from the failure to achieve self-fulfillment and personal objectives, such as spiritual, psychological, educational, professional, or social success.
There is no doubt that our life in Christ is the means of our private and public success, whether psychological or social because in Christ, “we can do all things”. This means that when the Lord of glory enters our live, hearts, minds, wills, and aspirations, He gives us victory, “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Rom. 8:37).
The wonderful light of Christ, His infinite love, His heavenly grace, and His Holy Spirit when added to our great human weakness are the secret of full success in all aspects of life. “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build” (Neh. 2:20). “That you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers” (3 Jn. 1:2).
Thus man is enabled to conquer the multifarious daily hindrances whether from inside or outside himself, and to achieve adaptation, balance, and happiness. “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4) The Lord is our temporal and eternal treasure who grants us prosperity, contentment, and happiness. Then we will be “rich in good works” (1Tim. 6; 18).
2- Balance
“The path of moderation has saved many,” we are taught by our fathers; “do not be too righteous,” the wise man said. Achieving a balance is a basic factor in mental health for the psyche is free of extremes, exaggeration, fanaticism and intolerance on the one hand, and also free from heedlessness and passiveness on the other. A mentally healthy person is a well-balanced person. He is neither totally self-reliant (without Christ), nor does he feel desperate and a failure. He is self-confident in Christ and because of Christ who works in him.
He is neither overly ambitious nor lazy and aimless, for God grants him the ability to use his talents. Under good spiritual guidance, man himself can weigh all his needs and his characteristics. He makes sure he is spiritually nourished through prayer and mentally satisfied through culture and is self-controlled. He takes care of his body through nutrition, recreation, sports, and rest, and of his relationships through social success.
3- Self-acceptance
This does not mean being boastful or accepting sin, but it means being content with what the Lord has given one in the way of gifts, talents, or appearance. It also means accepting even of those unfavorable traits and weaknesses, even physical or psychological handicaps and a certain level of intelligence He has allowed us to have.
The purpose of the Christian is not self-aggrandizement but consecration to Christ. That is why he accepts himself the way he is and presents it to Christ to sanctify, use, develop, and grow. He is not divided against himself, nor does he despise himself and reject the weaknesses God has seen fit to allow him. He converts these into humility, prayer and fellowship so that God may be glorified in our weakness. “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2Cor. 12:10). “Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation” (Js. 1:9). “Yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me” (1Cor. 15:10).
4- Accepting others
“To the pure, all things are pure” (Tit. 1:15). This is an important Biblical tenet. When Christ baptizes our human perception, we see that everything around us is pure and beautiful. Such a person is sound, but the sick individual only sees the negative aspects of people, their weak-nesses and vices, rather than their virtues and gifts. It is a defense mechanism known as “belittling” in which he does not cease from judging others in order to divert attention from his own secret defects and weaknesses.
The Christian, however, is called upon to accept others with love and to take note of their favorable characteristics and gifts. He is required to deal with others as beings who are created in the image of God. He does not wait for the other to be good or cooperative, but loves him as he is just like Christ loves us. He takes him as he is, not as he would like him to be.
The Christian’s heart is open to all without in any way foregoing the essence of his religion or his sound principles.
5- Social Competence
One of the characteristics of a successful personality is social competence. This entails the ability to have good relation-ships with others in the family, on the street, in school, in church, and in society. He is able, with the grace of Christ, to interact well with all. He is a gently diffuse light, salt that dissolves in love, and a pleasing and reviving fragrance of amazing spontaneity. He is a letter written on the heart, read and known by all, and not only by Christians.
Christianity is opposed to isolation and detachment. It can make of its children individuals who are open to society, who love and are loved, who are strong and flexible, firm without intolerance, and loving without abandoning principles.
6- Realistic Goals
A healthy individual does not insist on having unrealistic and unattainable goals. He is aware of reality and does not immerse himself in daydreams of impossible ambitions.
Christianity certainly encourages us in this when it requires us to be contented. “Be contented with what you have”. “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Rom. 12:3). “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1Tim. 6:6).
Contentment is not against developing and improving human intellectual, educational, practical, and material capabilities as long as they all glorify God. The purpose is not to inflate the ego or to worship dust and matter.
The Christian attempts to improve his life and “to use this world as not misusing it” (1Cor. 7:31). He develops his various potentialities always aiming for improvement, not out of selfish ambition but in order to use his talents for the glory of Christ and to enjoy a happy life in the Lord.
7- Existential Independence
That means that a person is not emotionally dependent on anyone who enslaves his heart, monopolizes his feelings, and makes it impossible for him to deal with others. Normal human emotions that are not subjected to reason are soon converted into bonds and enslavement, into hateful egoism, and maybe even into sins. Emotions that are controlled by reason and sanctified by the Spirit are characterized by:
+ Growing and spreading to include all.
+ Not being enslaved by anyone or anything.
+ Not fickle but stable.
+ Enlightened so that a person is not lost.
+ Purity and cleanliness because of the work of the Spirit within.
8- Intellectual Independence
This means a person is a slave to no one or to no specific school of thought. He has a mind that is open to all people and schools and has spiritual and intellectual discernment because of two reasons:
+ The Spirit of God dwells within him, guiding him to all truth.
+ The word of God is instilled in him, a lamp to light his path.
That is why the psychologically healthy individual does not close his mind to anyone or reject the ideas of others without discussion or examination. He does not reject the opinions of others without giving them the chance to explain and propound them.
Intellectual intolerance is evidence of immaturity. However, this does not mean that a person’s mind should be like an open road or an unfenced garden. Intellectual passivity is also a scourge. A person who is enlightened by the Spirit and the word is able to discriminate between the fat and the lean. He does not close his mind, nor does he lack discrimination. He engages in discussions and interacts with others in order to reach the truth through the Holy Spirit who lives within us.
May God grant that our spirits may be healthy throughout our lives to the glory of His Name and our personal happiness as well as the happiness of others.