Comments on: Review: Matters of the Mind: Latter-day Saint Helps for Mental Health

By: Kent Larsen

Kent Larsen — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:53:54 +0000

Seems to me that DB missed what could be a very useful book: A book about Mormonism for Mental Health professionals.

Lets face it, we’re a little weird, and I’m sure more than a few psychiatrists and psychologists have been scratching their heads over their Mormon patients.

I have one friend who told me about her non-Mormon therapists’ struggle to understand her worldview.

By: Nora

Nora — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:03:58 +0000

Thanks for the explanation. This book sounds as if it would be a valuable resource, but not necessarily the only thing you will ever need to read on the subject.

By: Rebecca J

Rebecca J — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:55:57 +0000

Ryan (15) – Well, you could do all those things. Or you could read this book. I mean, this particular publication isn’t going to change my life, but for some it might be the right book at the right time. I need to emphasize that the book IS written for laypeople, and while there is less spiritual perspective than I had originally anticipated, it’s certainly there and in one handy volume with your medical info, too. Again, this could be most useful for a bishop (or similar church leader) who has to deal with these issues indirectly but desires a better understanding of the complexities involved.

Nora (14) – Epilepsy and other neurological disorders are included because they affect cognition and behavior, but they are not given the same attention that mental illnesses get. They’re included, in part, to differentiate them from mental illness.

By: Jami

Jami — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:22:58 +0000

13. Valley of Sorrow hits similar points as Rebecca describes in her comment (12). I’ve found the myths and misconceptions section helpful in a variety of situations, but the book is intended for laypeople not professionals.

By: ryan

ryan — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:58:36 +0000

sorry confusing at the end.
“with their belief system can’t they go”

By: ryan

ryan — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:53:57 +0000

When I read about this book my question is why not just go to a clinical text by an non-mormon expert? I’m sure there are great and informative types of books like this put out by the APA or another publisher. If a person has difficulty contextualizing mental illness with belief their system can’t go to a church web-site, ensign articles or LDS social services?

By: Nora

Nora — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:07:39 +0000

I am curious as to why epilepsy would be included in a book about mental illness.

By: StillConfused

StillConfused — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:53:10 +0000

#12. Thanks. If anyone knows of any books that address how a person’s view of religion can also be a factor in mental illness, I would be interested.

By: Rebecca J

Rebecca J — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:05:29 +0000

StillConfused (11) – This topic is addressed only obliquely. It talks about various myths and misconceptions that LDS people have about mental illness, e.g. sin causes mental illness, faith can cure it, etc. It also talks about abuse and cognitive distortions (overgeneralizing, emotional reasoning, etc.); in the chapter on women and depression, there is a brief discussion of how certain religious beliefs can be complicated by abuse or distorted by an individual with mental illness. But that is about the extent of it.

By: StillConfused

StillConfused — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:05:17 +0000

Does this book address how a person’s view of religion can also be a factor in mental illness? I come across a number of individuals in my charity who have allowed, either by themselves or others, the LDS religion to be used as an abusive tool, to control, manipulate, tear down or damage. This appears to be a problem with both genders.