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MENTAL HEALTH: THE REAL DEAL, PART I

      I have been monitoring the discussions, advertisings, medications and talking head sermons in the ‘mainstream mess’ about the subject of Mental Health.  Unfortunately, the item missing from the equation is the following: The responsibility of the individual in protecting their own ‘brain box’ through reflection on their spiritual health and own actions.

      Hear me out on this one.  Many ‘mental health’ episodes could be avoided—for the good of society—if many individuals would take responsibility for either causing (or expanding) the state of their own mental landscape.  In short, we ALL know the dangers of drinking, drugging and other forms of ‘self-medication’. Nevertheless, there are some individuals who have taken the drink—and the drink has taken them down a roadway they did not imagine; some individuals have taken drugs—drugs mixed or ‘cut’ with foreign substances—and have had those drugs take them into behavior once restricted within the covers of pornographic or crime magazines.  Sadly, once these individuals ‘come back’ to reality, they find out too late the high cost of their OWN stupidity, and the damage they have done to others in their drug-induced haze.

      In the end analysis, those who neglect their own need for thinking and acting like a grown-up expect the rest of society to ‘feel sorry for them’ and clean up the mess(es) they created.  We also have many who, as they get older, find out that the world does not revolve around them and they rebel against society.

      Thus, you get some of the following issues on this short list:

      There are mental health episodes brought on by hurt feelings—real or imagined.  Someone did or said something to someone in their past, and they choose not to forget—or forgive—what they did, no matter how many years ago the incident in question happened, or how many therapy sessions they went through since the incident took place.  We see this playing out, more and more, in our various and sundry institutions on a regular basis.  People come up for an important job or position and they don’t get it. The long knives of background checks and ‘eyewitnesses’ surface to tear them down, and the world is against them OR someone said something they couldn’t process, like the word NO!

      Interestingly, there are mental health episodes brought on—by all things—procrastination.  Some would rather ‘put off’ getting tasks done, because they don’t fit into their ‘mental landscape’ only to have MORE pressure put upon themselves with the delay.  Sadly, the delays go on and on until there is a rush to get something done which could have been done earlier, had the person not put off to the last minute what they COULD have done yesterday.  Students are the primary people whom we think of in this mental health area…but they are NOT alone.

      There are mental health episodes brought on by listening to the wrong people and/or getting the wrong information from them.  Social influencers are notorious for this area of mental health problems for others AND themselves.  It is no wonder that we read, in social media and the printed press about social influencers—many of them without tested life experiences—committing suicide because they have been led to believe their own press releases OR find out that they didn’t have as much knowledge in a particular subject area that they thought they did.

      Lastly, there are mental health episodes bought on because of unrealistic expectations about a job, a relationship, or a career.  On the job front, in the United Kingdom and the USA, younger workers lose a noticeable amount of time weekly simply because they can’t cope with being an underling rather than ‘large and in charge’.  It has been reported that companies are losing thousands of dollars a month due to employees ‘checking out’ mentally.  Yes, it was easier for them during the pandemic to work from home in their own safe little cocoon, free from company interaction and office relationships.  However, one cannot be promoted IF they stay away from their supervisors and higher-ups.  One cannot get that next raise if they self-isolate or rebel against coming into the office for more than picking up a cup of coffee or their weekly paperwork.  As one sage put it: “You can’t rise to be a star until you learn how to play on a team.”  Many in this category view themselves as more important than the company, and are frustrated that the company doesn’t see them in the same light that they see themselves.

      In the examples I listed, the KJV Bible is the best source for stress relief.  I would recommend taking a chapter a day from The Book of Proverbs.  Proverbs contains 31 chapters.  The book itself deals with types of people one should embrace, and types of people one should shun.  It also is very specific in the types of men, women, boys and girls one should seek TO be—or seek NOT to be.  It was penned by the wealthiest and smartest man in the Old Testament world at the time—King Solomon.  While Solomon penned these ‘wisdom nuggets’ in his younger days, he also penned Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon in two other stages of his life.  The Holy Spirit inspired Solomon, and his wisdom through these writings have stood the test of time.

      More to come.

      Mike Ramey is a Retired Minister, KJV Bible Teacher, syndicated columnist and Bible Prophecy Specialist who lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.  “The Quick Scan” is one of a variety of his columns appearing and abounding in print and cyberspace, written from a biblical, business, and common-sense perspective since 1996.  Catch Mike Ramey’s columns on X (Twitter), Substack, Faithwriters.com, LinkedIn and in fine publications like this one!  To drop him a line—or a whine—the address is still the same: mgmikeramey@yahoo.com.  ©2025 Barnstorm Communications International.