How I became interested in emotional health
When I first started out in medicine, my primary interest and training was in anesthesia, though I also did general practice. I was very interested in pain control through general and local anesthesia. In my general practice, I was surprised to discover that more people were suffering from emotional pain than from physical pain. I was also amazed to uncover the fact that to most people, the most painful moment in their lives was from emotional, not physical pain. Perhaps the greatest shock to me as a young physician was to see that so many Christians were in emotional pain. Their suffering seemed greater than those "in the world" since they would not admit that they were in pain and were too ashamed to go for help. Their "religion" which was intended to be a source of comfort and hope had become to them a barrier which prevented them from being honest enough to get help, for fear of being condemned and shamed by fellow believers. Christians didn't seem to know where to turn for assistance that they could trust.
"Christians are ashamed to have emotional problems."
I of course, was totally unprepared to treat emotional pain but I was drawn to this condition since it seemed like there were so few places that people could go for help. I was particularly interested in how to help Christians resolve their emotional suffering.
Emotionally Free
Have your own Christian guide to emotional health!
Have your own Christian guide to emotional health!
Through this web site I hope you will discover a broader, more integrated approach to emotional recovery which will bring hope and healing to those of you who are still struggling with your thoughts, feelings and emotions. As you read, God will show you the missing pieces to your emotional puzzle and your walk to freedom will be accelerated.
I am not an expert on every subject referred to on this site. We have many more qualified authors than I, who can provide more comprehensive discussions on these topics. My purpose is to show how the different teachings of these gifted Christians can be integrated with modern medicine to bring emotional recovery to larger numbers of people. I hope you enjoy all the contributions to this web site by the other gifted authors here.
Next month we will look at the true nature of man (what makes him tick).
This article is excerpted from "Emotionally Free" by Dr. Grant Mullen
For more information visit Answers to common mental health questions.
Copyright Dr. Grant Mullen. No part of this website can be reproduced without the written permission of the author and publisher.
