Mental Illness God and Healing

By Jace Ayden Mcknight

Mental Illness God and Healing is Bob Bienvenus self-characterization on major mental illnesses, from their inception in the dark ages to the present, the twenty-first century. This insightful book touches on the causes of mental illness, its psychology, and its treatments.

Through the depiction of his struggle with schizophrenia and other disorders, youll learn of his ultimate spiritual awakening and remarkable recovery, which he accredits to his relationship with Jesus Christ.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 17, 2016
• ISBN: 9781514474587

Jace Ayden Mcknight

Jace Ayden Mcknight has dedicated his life to helping the mentally challenged in his community. He hosts an insightful weekly television show that focuses on mental health and how to conqueor those demons. He lives is Lafayette, Louisiana, and is the author of From Light to Darkness, his biography and the recent release, a sci-fy entitled, The Time Traveler, Gerards Odyssey. He is a competitive powerlifting champion which strengthens his body while his newfound faith and dependence on Jesus Christ changed his life.

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Copyright © 2016 by Jace Ayden Mcknight.

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Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1     Ancient Methods of Treatment

Chapter 2     The History of Psychology

Chapter 3     Depression and PTSD

Chapter 4     OCD

Chapter 5     Social and other Phobias

Chapter 6     BIPOLAR and OCD

Chapter 7     Multiple Personality & Other Disorders

Chapter 8     Schizophrenia

Chapter 9     Mike Fuselier introduces me to Jesus

Chapter 10   Insights into Mental Health

Henrietta Bourque Mcknight my precious

mother. The most fantastic person I ever met.

CHAPTER 1

Ancient Methods of Treatment

Good evening ladies and gentlemen; my name is Jace Ayden Mcknight and I have a mental illness. The mental illnesses that some of us humans endure are heinous. Some people with these diseases on the most part have to endure a lot of terrible pain with most people all their lives never getting any better.

Mental Illness according to the National Institute of Mental Health, NIMH, and statistics from a 2013 survey estimated 43.8 million adults 18 years and older have ‘Any Mental Illness,’ AMI, affects one fourth of the population regardless of race, education, wealth, or status with both men and women being affected. The majority of the mentally ill live alone with most living in extreme poverty. Although Psychologists have taken great strides over the years in treating these illnesses with medicine and therapy, Scientists and doctors are still learning about these illnesses and the different alternatives in treating them. There is a lot of knowledge and research being found out about the different illnesses.

In the ancient times people who had the disease were usually known to be mad. For example in the Middle Ages these people were usually thrown in prison to live their lives forever in the city dungeons.

I feel as humankind advanced in the early years of America some of the people with mental illnesses acted out of the normal behavior they accused of being witches because of their strange behavior were burned at the stake. In the late 1800s and early 1900s sanatoriums were built and some of these so called MAD people were put away in them, but there wasn’t much knowledge about mental illnesses or how to treat it with any success. Attempts to treat mental illnesses date back to 5000 BC as evidenced by finding skulls that showed evidence of trepanation places that were known to house ancient cultures Trepanation is the removal of part of the skull with primitive tools. The word Trepanation comes from the Greek word meaning Auger or Borer which actually means an opening made by a circular saw of any kind. Trepanation was practiced in Ancient and early times in some parts of South America, Europe. Asia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and North America. Generally this practice was used for the escape of evil spirits or the entrance of good spirits.

The operation consisted of removing a piece of the skull, exposing the dura mater. Of course Trepanation may have been also used for headaches, fractures, infections, convulsions and of course insanity, which we now in more modern terms refer as Mental Illness. Regardless of its use, the major consensus was that by opening the brain, evil spirits would be let out of the head, for healing both the person and their mind.

In ancient Mesopotamia priests and doctors treated the mentally ill with magical religious rituals, as they believed that mental pathology masked demonic possession. Exorcisms, incantations, prayer, atonement, and other mystical rituals were used to drive out the demonic forces from the possessed individual. In the ancient Christian world, it was believed that the reason for this so-called madness in people was due to sin. Prayers to God were used to heal the sick and sometimes these prayers were successful, and sometimes not.

I, Jace the author of this book as a born-again Christian, don’t know the mind of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit as to why they do not heal all illnesses when we petition/pray for healing of any illness whether physical, emotional or mental. I just figure that the Master of the Universe, the Creator of us all has his own agenda and I figure I am not smart enough or dumb enough to question Jesus the Creator. Like the bible says in Isa.55:8, for my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are you ways my ways."

Also according to Christian beliefs man has been on the earth for only 5000 years with evidence of primitive man dating back to a million years. Of course scientists are still looking for the missing link. I for one don’t believe that mankind’s ancestors were a million years old. I however can’t dispute the age of the earth as being millions of years old due to scientific knowledge and factual data which I’ve read about, but don’t have any facts at my disposal. Of course one year to God may be one hundred or even thousands of years to us; many Christians may argue with me on this observation But I know one thing they won’t argue with me if they have read my book ‘FROM LIGHT TO DARKNESS TO GLORY’ or in fact know me and has knowledge of my life. Because in reference to my mental illness, Schizophrenia, among other illnesses I am not completely healed of that horrible illness. But through God’s help, love, and blessings I have been given a new lease on life, and am living a good healthy and productive life. For I stand on 2 Timothy 1:17 God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. I think I am a living example of that statement. Boy, God is good!

Any way continuing on as we journey through the history of mental illnesses you may identify with some of the causes or symptoms people have read about. Now onto learning about this knowledge and about God. This is why I named my book MENTAL ILLNESS, GOD, AND HEALING.

Ancient Egyptians seemed to be the most modern in their treatment of mental illnesses as they recommended those with mental pathology to engage in recreational activities, such as concerts, dancing, and painting to achieve some sense of normalcy in their lives. Beliefs of demonic possession produced by supernatural forces and incantations and magic were used. Also the Egyptians used surgery including Trepanation, and other surgeries to cure physical and mental illnesses. In all these ancient civilizations mental illness was attributed to some supernatural force, usually thought to be an evil deity. It was thought that mental illness in a person was a sign that they had committed some sort of crime or evil deed, and were being punished for it.

Exorcisms, charms, music, and prayer were used as therapy for healing, with a sense of calmness and peace. These practices were performed in Babylonia, Assyria, the Mediterranean, the Near East, and of course Egypt, in hopes of achieving a cure. Some beliefs about Mental Illness and treatments advanced by early European thinkers between the 5th and 3rd centuries BC:

The Greek physician Hippocrates had a new theory about mental illnesses, denying the long-held belief that it was caused by supernatural forces. He believed the illness was caused from natural occurrences in the body, particularly natural pathology in the brain. Hippocrates, and later the Roman physician Galen introduced the concept of four essential fluids in the human body: Blood, Phlegm, Bile, and Black bile, with the combination of the four producing the unique personalities of the individuals. Throughout the middle Ages, mental illness was thought to be an imbalance of these, which were known as Humors.

In order to bring the body back from this imbalance to normal, patients were given emetics, laxatives, and were bled using leeches. Specific purges of the body included a concoction developed by Ptolemy, called Hiera Logadii, which combined aloe, and black hell bore which was a poisonous herb in the lily family used to slow cardiac and respiratory muscles. Colocynth was also used to cleanse the body of melancholia, which was a form of depression. Confectio hamec, a concoction developed by the Arabs, one of the strongest laxatives, was used to accompany blood-letting, while the purging was going on. Later, tobacco from America was used to induce vomiting.

These treatments used to balance the four fluids in the body known as Humors were used to induce stability in the patient. Other treatments regarding the Humors consisted of extracting blood from the forehead to draw corrupted Humors away from the brain. In addition to purging and blood-letting, raving mad men were fed diets that were cooling and diluting consisting of salad greens, barley water, and milk, while avoiding wine and red meat.

Custody and care of the mentally ill were usually left to the individual’s family although some outside intervention occurred. The first mental hospital was established in 792 Baghdad. Mentally ill persons in the custody of their families were widely abused and restrained particularly in Christian European families due to shame and stigma attached to it, therefore many families hid their mentally ill or mad families in cellars or caged in pig pens while under close watch of servants. Others were abandoned by their families left to a life of begging and vagrancy. The social stigma to mental illness was then and still is today pronounced in countries that have strong ties to family honor and reliance on family marriages to create alliances. In China the mentally ill were hidden away so that the community wouldn’t believe that the affliction was the result of immoral behavior by the individual or their relatives. It was thought that these affected individuals had bad karma that would negatively affect those that came around them scaring away potential customers. Therefore these individuals were hidden from the community or even abandoned to keep family honor intact. Mentally ill vagrants were left alone to wander the streets as long as they did not causes disturbances. Those who were unmanageable or dangerous were thrown in jails or dungeons sometimes for the rest of their lives. There were regular beatings and killings of those who would act out in unruly behavior.

In the 17th century talisman necklaces were put around the necks of the afflicted while prayers were said over them. Amulets and charms were also used supplemented by prayer to soothe troubled minds, prevent mystical infections and protect against witches and evil spirits. Sedatives in the 17th century consisted of opium unguents and laudanum or narcotics as we know them today to relieve pain and produce a calm effect easing the pain of the mental illness.

Other treatments aside from family custody and care were to lodge the mentally ill in work houses or check them into general hospitals where they were frequently abandoned. The clergy also took a roll in the treatment of the mentally ill as medical practices were also an extension of their practice of caring for the sick their and watching over their flocks. Private mad houses were established and run by the clergy for those who could afford it. Catholic nations usually staffed mental health facilities also with clergy.

Asylums spread to Europe and Asia in the Middle 1800s. To relieve the mental illness of their patient’s attendance at churches and religious shrines were recommended. Priest usually told their patients to repent of their sins and to seek refuge in God’s mercy. In well run clergy facilities patients were given humane treatment. They usually received good care, unlike public establishments, but they could only treat a certain quota of patients and the mentally ill started to increase in number.

To accommodate the burgeoning number of mentally ill new asylums were created all around the world most notably from the 16th century on. The first institution to open its doors was thought to be the Valencia hospital in Spain in 1406 AD. However on the whole asylums were notorious for deplorable living conditions and cruel abuse to the patients. For many years asylums did not help the individual achieve a sense of normalcy and sanity to overcome their Illness.

During those dark years the mentally ill were confined to reformed penal institutions similar to the prisons at that time. The mentally ill who were abandoned by their families or sentenced by the law were subjugated to a life of inhuman treatment usually for the rest of their lives. The majority of asylums were staffed by untrained workers who treated the mentally ill patients Similar to animals. Boy I for one am glad I was born in 1948 A.D., instead of the mid -1800s.

In one case recorded at La Bicetre, a hospital in Paris, some patients were shackled to the wall in dark cramped cells which again draws me to thank God for bringing me into this world in 1948 AD. Iron cuffs and collars permitted the patients enough movement to feed themselves but not enough freedom to lie down and sleep prone but rather they were forced to sleep upright. Little attention was paid to the quality, amount of food or the times when patients were fed. There were no visitors except by those bringing the food. The cells were never cleaned, a small amount of straw covered the cold floor. The patients were forced to sit in their own waste which was never cleaned up This scenario at L’abicetre was consistent with treatment in most of the asylums all over the world for many years from the 1500s to the 1800s and in some places until the 1900s.

The most infamous asylum, St. Mary of Bethlehem, was located in London England which was changed from a monastery to an asylum in 1547 by King Henry V111. The institution was named Bedlam for its horrific conditions and practices. The violent patients were put on display for the public to see like a side show for the price of one penny. The gentler patients were put on the streets to beg for alms.

Soon after Bedlam was established other countries founded their own asylums. San Hipoloto was founded in Mexico in 1556 and was known to be the first asylum in the Americas. La Maison de Charton was founded in 1541 in Paris France. In 1784 the Lunatics tower in Vienna Austria was founded. The elaborately built tower was a show place and contained square rooms in which the staff