Finding Hope Through Grace Part 2: Who is on the SPECTRUM?

How complex are you? The previous post talked about the importance of understanding an individual's perspectives. We discussed the need to know where the counselee is coming from--along with understanding the complexity of their issue in light of who God is and what He has accomplished. Trying to see a situation from someone else’s perspective is anything but easy and quick. It generally requires building rapport with the client so that they begin to fill comfortable opening up to you. Rapport is just a nice word for building a relationship. When we are developing this relationship and perspective, we want to make sure it is comprehensive.

Biopsychosocial is a clinical model used to understand what elements are influencing the individual’s thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. The bio component focuses on potential biological or genetic disposition that could be causing the symptoms. Psycho is more concerned with psychological factors such as self-control, personality, intelligence, psychosis, and thinking errors. Social emphasizes relational and cultural influences that could include socioeconomic class, ethnic background, religion, worldview, and family genealogy. This is not a comprehensive view on the model, but it does give the flavor of what we are looking for as we seek to better understand an individual. It is important not to simply focus on the individual and the problem, but to get the big picture of potential areas that could be directly or indirectly contributing to the issue.

Mental Health Disorder

One of the possibly obvious contributing factors could be a mental health diagnosis. There are a number of potentially positive and negative aspects to having a mental health diagnosis. It can give a sense of reason or meaning to the pain some one is going through. Diagnoses also helps to focus the attention on a few specific behaviors that seem to continually occur. The main reason a psychologist or psychiatrist will diagnosis an individual is to know what approach they should take in treating the symptoms being displayed.

However, there are many disadvantages to a diagnosis as well. People may feel a sense of hopelessness because they view themselves as handicapped or are focused on the problems rather than their strengths. They could be misdiagnosed and begin to live up to the expectation of that disorder. One inaccurate reaction to a disorder is the underlying thought that there is a definite understanding of the cause for their problems and also a cure.

DSM

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Health Disorders (DSM) is the tool that professional mental health providers us to determine the type and intensity of a disorder from which someone may be suffering. The DSM IV has made it clear that they do not claim to know the cause of any of the disorders found in the book, nor claim to have a cure for them. The DSM simply lists a number of symptoms that display themselves as behaviors that seem to be related. These behaviors are so intense that they are interfering with the individual’s ability to function throughout the day. A mental health disorder is simply a description of the behaviors you are displaying. It does not define who you are and it does not make you unaccountable for your actions.

People with mental health disorders are still tried in courts for the crimes they commit. Some of them may experience less of a sentence or have to serve there time in a manner different from someone who committed the same crime with out a disorder. When it comes down to it, a mental health disorder is simply identifying areas in ones life that they are struggling with. It is not the end of their search for the cause or reason they are suffering, but simply the beginning. If any one is suffering from a mental health diagnosis our first response should be a sincere attempt to understand the individual and the world in which they live.

 

People Like You and Me

When we begin to stop viewing people by their diagnosis and see them as individuals, we realize that there are not many differences between us. They are not defined by their disorder just like an amputee is not defined by their disability. In reality, none of us have met the criteria for a "normal" individual. The above diagram illustrates how we fall short of our societies expectations of normal. Where I (ME) fall on the spectrum is still far left of normality (signified by N). My goal, as a believer, is not to attain some state of normality, but to strive for holiness and model the life of Christ. My society might view me as a little more "normal" than some one with a mental health disorder (DIS), but in light of the expectations Christ has place on us we both fall infinitely short of it.

To stay focused on the problem and view the solution as simply a biological response, is to remain in a hopeless state. We can not achieve or meet God's expectation through any assistance of drugs, therapy, and techniques. Do not be mistaken, these means may help with our desire for normality and even provide some common grace to our suffering. However, we can not view them as a means to bridge the gap between myself and God. At the core, we are all suffering on this broken earth and should not be surprised by that fact. We all suffer in different ways and intensities, but none are less important or significant. There is much more at play in our sufferings than genes and a traumatic history.