The document discusses mental health from a Christian perspective, focusing on the importance of relationships. It makes three key points: 1) The Bible teaches that humans are wired for relationships with God and others. Important brain regions and senses evolved for social bonding and communication. 2) Problems with relationships, such as lack of attachment, abuse or trauma, can lead to mental health issues like anxiety, depression, or PTSD. Disrupted early childhood bonds also correlate with future problems. 3) Past relationship difficulties may affect current mental health and relationships, as insecure attachments can influence emotions, behaviors, and cognition. Unresolved issues may even pass to the next generation. Overall, the document emphasizes that healthy relationships are essential for mental

1. Mental Health Basics-1
A Christian Perspective
Sik-Lam Wong
黄锡林
May 19, 2015

2. The Bible Tells Us a Lot About Mental
Health
• Human beings are created for relationships with
God and people
– Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to
be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”
(Gen 2:18)
– Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him,
“Where are you?” (Gen 3:9)
• God entered into our world. Perhaps we should
learn to enter into another person’s world?
– And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us,
and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten
from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14)

3. The Bible, Brain Science and Psychology Are
Converging on the issue of Relationships: We are
Wired for Relationships

4. Wired for Relationship: Prefrontal
Cortex and Sensory System
• Prefrontal cortex allows us to read and
communicate with another person
– Mirror neurons
• Sight
• Middle ear to filter out background noise to
hear speech better
• Larynx for speech

5. Bonding/Relationships Starts With
Mother
• Bonding between mother and child starts in
the womb
• Bonding between young child and mother,
father or caregiver
• Over time children and adults bond with their
peers
• Special bond between husband and wife

6. Disorders from Problems with
Relationships
• Lack of relationships can lead to anxiety or
depression: fight or flight
– Serious breakdowns in relationships such as abuse
and trauma can overwhelm the limbic system, and
the person freezes and dissociates (PTSD)
• Lack of attachment between parents/primary
caregiver and infant can lead to delinquency and
anxious child/adult
– Addiction as dysfunction in relationships
– Orphans tend to have more issues due to disruption
with maternal bond in early childhood

7. The Past Can Affect The Present
• An insecure childhood can result in an insecure person
• Instability in the family, e.g., family discord, frequent
moves, immigration, divorce, chronic illness, abuse,
domestic violence can affect a child
– Survival over nurture
• Insecurity can affect our emotions: flight or fight
– Emotion dysfunction: over-react
– Behavior dysfunction: please, control, avoid, perfection, etc.
– Interpersonal dysfunction: hard to do when one over-reacts
– Cognition dysfunction: distorted, black and white thinking
– Self dysfunction: I do not know what I want
Copyright Sik-Lam Wong
NOT FOR PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

8. Issues from the Past Can be Passed to
Next Generation
• Parents lack of emotion regulation can result in
poor parenting skills
• Emotion regulation is one of the most important
skills a parent can teach the children
• Parents need to work on own emotion regulation
– Children with anxious or depressed in parents will
have higher incidences of anxiety and depression
– Parents not able to attend to and comfort children
Copyright Sik-Lam Wong
NOT FOR PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

9. Bonding Takes Effort and
Attunement: Still Face Experiment

10. Secure Home: Comfort and Safety
• Sometimes arguments between husband and
wife may be cries for attachment
– Need time for attunement between husband and wife
• Children may be looking for attachment when
they misbehave
• Memories of comfort and safety and happy
memories are the best gifts parents can give to
their children
– Applies to spouses too!

11. There are not perfect relationships,
but only growing relationship!

12. Thank You