And, in many cases, I believe its their religion that messed them up. Priests and preachers are NOT mental health counselors, they don’t know (nor should they) about how the brain and the body chemicals work. Depression is real, Pharmacology works, counseling works. Keep religion out of the mix, it harms some people as much as it helps some.
It depends on the individual, of course.
One person I know very well was helped only by electro-convulsive shock therapy.
I had a guy I work with tell my wife her lack of faith keeps her in a wheelchair. I told him no a C-5/C-6 spinal infarction and likely Polio Relapse keeps her there. His church is so legalistic {a name it claim it type} that any events other than peaches and cream life is their fault because of their faith and that is not what The Bible teaches at all.
Let me put it this way. If I'm going to be operated on I prefer both a surgeon and prayer. I'm not too dense too realize that the doctor himself was given his talents from GOD just as therapist.
I'll say this as well. I've seen the laying on of hands work but not in a manner that was expected. For healing the person they were praying for? Nope. She lived but can't walk. During that event I felt the presence of The Holy Spirit overcome me and heard an audible voice say It's going to be OK. It was a peace I had never know before or sense.
It was my girlfriend the hands were on. My new found love. Months earlier my first marriage ended with vows fulfilled. It was till death did we part. I almost lost my girlfriend I met a few months afterward due to the onset of quadriplegia.
I was taking her to the ER from a mall and she was describing her death to me. She too was dieing. She knew what she was seeing she was a CNA and sat with many of her patients in their final hour.
Here's what many Christians don't realize. Bad things will happen. Sometimes miracles happen and sometimes GOD has His own reasons as too why things must be. This was one of those times and it started with the loss of my first wife who was 23.
The woman I met had been abused all her life and raising her kids also due to abandonment by an abusive husband. Had my first wife not died we would not have met & she likely would have died as well. We met because I took a job transfer after my wife died. I was with her when the quadriplegia hit. I got her to the ER and first night was touch and go for her.
Like I said it was a traumatic period of time. It changed me and it changed my entire outlook on life. We married three months after this hit her and that was 26 years ago. What would you consider the odds of us lasting the first year? LOL
GOD didn't say she was to be healed He said it was going to be OK. Nine years later my own disability hit. If you get an anxiety patient who spasms like getting hit with a cattle prod he's having Myoclonic Seizures. Chances are his sensory system is dysfunctional such as auditory and Visual disorders. They treated me for typical anxiety SSRI's nearly pushed me over the edge. Xanax has been my friend for 16 years plus. A good drug in my case.
You see we're perfectly matched brawn and brains. I didn't loose my ability to lift her from bed to wheelchair when this hit. I lost substantial concentration abilities though. I rely on her and she relies on me. It took me years to understand the message given me. But I hate to think of where I would be if I hadn't met her at that time in my life.
GOD didn't let neither me nor her down. In our adversities He is there. If you can find it look for a book called Joni. It was a book they had my wife read when she got to rehab. It really can reach ones who are suddenly afflicted with serious illness.
NONSENSE...
Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Sometimes it's clinical...Sometimes it's spiritual...