Without acceptance you still have stigma!!

I am not a fan of Rick Warren's, I do not support any of his teachings. But I do grieve for them in the loss of their son Matthew. No parent (family or friend) should should ever have to face the reality of suicide. But this scares the shit out of me,,,

• Rick then made a promise: Saddleback’s next big ministry push will be to remove the stigma associated with mental illness in the church. “Your illness is not your identity, your chemistry is not your character,” he told people struggling with mental illness.

I do agree that that one should try (key word) and not let their illness over take their lives (identity). I always say "I have bipolar, it does not have me." I will also admit that at times I am a huge failure at this as my most recent episode can attest to. But it IS part of who I am; it is the nature of the beast. I am who I am. To say that it (your chemistry) is "not your character" is demeaning and a denial of the neuro-physiological aspect of many psychiatric illnesses that one cannot control without the external help of therapy and/or medication. How I handle and cope with my beast from within defines who I am; it dictates my actions, my reactions. I have had to learn to "live with it" and that has molded my personality into who and what I am today. My hospitalizations, my therapy sessions and my medications have all helped formulate how I live my life. I know I will never be able to have a 9-5 job, with fancy surroundings were deadlines have to be met. I know that on most nights when y'all are sleeping, I will be awake because my brain is whirling with sometimes obsessive thoughts. I know that sometimes my emotions will overwhelm me at inopportune times and I will come off as a babbling idiot. But you know what, that is ME, and I denied that aspect of myself for far to long. And I fear that if Mr Warren has his way too many are going to bury the best parts of who they are, what makes them unique.

• To their families, he said, “We are here for you, and we are in this together.” There is hope for the future: “God wants to take your greatest loss and turn it into your greatest life message.”

How is this removing the stigma?? How is taking "YOUR greatest loss and" turning "it into YOUR greatest life message" helping those with mental illness? Warren's focus is just plain wrong. Yes, whole families suffer when dealing with a loved one that has a mental illness, but the focus of removing the stigma should not be focused on YOUR grief and suffering. The focus should be on PREVENTING that loss in the first place. The focus should be on making sure that proper services are available to ALL individuals (and families) that are dealing with mental health issues. Too many families don't "qualify" for help, or the help they receive is steeped in rhetoric of one form or another. Before I was officially diagnosed, when mental illness was beginning to "make the news," I suffered many an indignation. Though I can look back on them now as part of my journey, the harm that was caused was no laughing matter. Thankfully those early clinicians stayed focused on me and my dysfunctional brain.

• For the next six Sundays, Rick will preach a sermon series entitled, “How To Get Through What You’re Going Through.” He will devote a message to each of the six stages of grief: shock, sorrow, struggle, surrender, sanctification, and service.

What is bothersome with this statement, why does it appear as if Warren is sidestepping the here and now and looking ahead to grief and loss? Again his focus is just wrong. Regretfully those with Axis I disorders (Bipolar and Schizophrenia being 2 such illnesses) have a high rate of suicide, but isn't part of removing the stigma prevention. Now context is a bit lacking, as he may also be referring to what individuals (and families) dx'd with an acute illness first go through when they get the "bad" news. First thing I wanted to do is track down my bio-mom so I could blame her. Then I got angry, the "why me?" stage. Then I got even angrier with the system and the hoops I had to jump through. Then I struggled, I struggled to regain balance in my life so I could function (somewhat,,,lol) in society.

 Please explain to me WTF is "surrender," "sanctification," and "service?" Those are not part of the stages of grief I learned back in the day.  (Athlo Kubler-Ross's work has been misconstrued as a research study of grief and bereavement, her observations are still valid in regards to some key emotional reactions to the experience of the dying.) If I would have surrendered to my illness I would not be sitting here today. I would be a pile of ashes sitting on some shelf, hidden away. Sorry Mr Warren, my life and Matthew's life are worth a shitload more than to be stored in some box, tucked away in a closet full of other long forgotten memories. It sounds as if you gave up on Matthew long before he gave up on himself. And I do apologize for sounding harsh but I fear that Mr Warren's profession of choice is clouding the realities of life. Just as you cannot pray the gay away, you can not pray away mental illness.

OH! how dare I say that!!  Well do you see what is missing in his little paradigm?  Where the fuck is acceptance?  Without acceptance you still have stigma!!

• A larger program to address the specifics of mental illness has yet to be revealed, but it will be similar, Rick said, to the way their church has helped to tackle the HIV crisis.

All I will say on this is that Mr Warren is part of the Evangelical crowd responsible for the Ugandan "Kill the Gays" bill. And that my friends is what scares the shit out of me!!

Rick Warren Preaches First Sermon Since His Son’s Suicide: Almost four months after their son committed suicide, Pastor Rick Warren and his wife Kay addressed their congregation for the first time, promising to remove the stigma of mental illness from the church