When Mental Health Hurts Not Just You

When someone is struggling with their mental health, whether that’s dealing with stress, anxiety, or a diagnosed mental health condition, it’s not just them who feel the effects of it —  there’s often a flow on effect to the people around them; their partner, children, family, friends, colleagues… The list goes on.  So what’s it like to be struggling with your mental health, only to feel the added weight—and often, guilt—of knowing that what you’re dealing with is also impacting the people you love? How do you navigate those dynamics when there are seasons of your life when you’re more vulnerable and in-need than you’re comfortable with? Today we’re chatting to Erin, a mum of two girls from Tennessee in the US, who has dealt with significant periods of anxiety, depression, and suicide ideation which led to multiple hospitalisations and in-patient therapy stays.  We’ll hear not only about Erin’s journey and the role of her faith amidst the challenges she’s faced, but also what it’s been like to deal with the added guilt of seeing what her mental illness was doing to her husband and children.  -- Erin Mount is a lover of God who writes about faith, suffering, and mental health. If she’s not spending time with her family, watching Gilmore Girls or reading, she’s probably napping. Read more from Erin on our blog in ‘When My Thoughts Lie to Me’, and check out her Substack here. -- Through this podcast and our other resources, our heart here at Anxious Faith is to spark conversation and tackle the taboos around mental health in our churches and faith communities. Will you help us do that?  We’d be grateful if you would consider supporting us, whether through prayer, sharing our resources in your circles, or contributing towards our ministry costs. We’d also love to connect with you on socials, where you can join the community, check out our other resources and see behind the scenes content from our team.