Mental Illness is not weakness or simply sin.

Stigmatization happens when we send the message that strong people do not have mental health issues.  This stigma is particularly present in African American communities.  Those struggling with their mental health are deeply harmed when someone reinforces a lie they already fear is true—that their struggle is their own fault due to their weakness.  But Jesus told the truth when he told the blind man that his condition was his fault (Jn 9).  Mental illness doesn’t equate to weakness.”