Faulty Psychological Labels

There exists today a lengthy list of alleged psychological disorders from add, adhd, bipolar, manic depressive, etc. How do we counsel amidst all of the confusion when people really believe that they are trapped in those 'disorders' and 'need their meds'? The reality is that a vast portion of these 'conditions' and 'disorders' are usually spirtually related and not organic. Organic conditions would be like a broken arm or brain damage from an auto accident; both of which are clear physical maladies. However, when it comes to other conditions that do not appear to have physical causes, then the waters become muddled. What ought we do? What does the Scripture say?

Man is composed of the material and the immaterial according to the Bible. Therfore, each affects the other. One must especially take into account original sin, something contemporary pscycology refuses to do. Every condition is not necessarily sin related as is the case with Alzhiemers and such, but much of the add, bipolar, etc. can be contributed to struggles with sin. This is hard to swallow, but such is the case.

Our response in counseling, disciplining, and evangelizing should be to ask questions in knowing exactly what is going on physcially and spiritually. In doing this, one is able to better ascertain the cause and not merely the symptoms of the problem. For example, ulcers can be caused by anxiety, which leads one to see the cause as anxiety, a sin issue.

We must also avoid using faulty pyschological labels and use Biblical ones instead. Much of the confusion lies in the fact that we have left the Biblical data and supplanted it with pop pcychology. The Scriptures not only describe conditions, but they also provide us with many names for those conditions like anxiety, greed, drunkenness, lack of discipline, foolish, etc.

Ultimately, we rest in Scripture and carefully distinguish between what is real and what is a fabrication designed to justify sin against a Holy God.