A00060 - National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month: The "Delusions" of Saint Bernadette

As we agonize over the impending demise of the Amherst College listservs, I find myself intrigued by a previously unimaginable occurrence.  For the first time, the relics (certain sanctified parts of the body) of Saint Bernadette are on a tour of United States cities.

https://stbernadetteusa.org/ip.php

For those not familiar with her story, Saint Bernadette is famed for the miraculous events that occurred in Lourdes, France, in 1858 and for the miraculous cures associated with drinking the water from Lourdes which have continued to occur ever since.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernadette_Soubirous

The 1943 movie starring Jennifer Jones as Bernadette Soubirous was one of the formative movie experiences of my youth.  The notion that Bernadette saw a divine lady that no one else could see and heard a voice that no one else could hear sounds so much like an all too common affliction that can be seen on the streets of this fair land.

Indeed, per my recent studies, I have learned that today Bernadette might be deemed to suffer from a form of religious delusion 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_delusion

and that she follows in a long line of religious icons that may have suffered from similar mental ailments.  After all, how can one explain Muhammad's Night Journey

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isra_and_Mi%27raj

or Joan of Arc's visions

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_Arc

or the somewhat disturbed pronouncements of a so-called carpenter from Nazareth

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_health_of_Jesus

And yet, I find that much of my faith stems from a belief that these individuals did what they did, and saw what they saw, and  heard what they heard. Their acts and the inexplicable acts of so many others that I have found in history have convinced me that there is truth to their stories and that what they did, what they saw, and what they heard was indeed divine. After all, Bernadette did find water in the grotto and that water has somehow led to some miraculous cures.  . 

I cannot go to Lourdes, but some of Bernadette is coming to Los Angeles.  So "crazy" as it may seem, I think I shall go to see her... and perhaps experience some religious delusions of my own.

Peace,

Everett Jenkins

Fairfield, California

July 25, 2022

-----Original Message-----
 
Sent: Mon, Jul 4, 2022 2:46 am
Subject: National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month: Our Most Troubling Madness: Case Studies in Schizophrenia Across Cultures

Those who have followed my posts will note that I have a particular interest in mental health issues.  That interest is heightened during the month of July because July is National Minority Mental Health Month.

https://nami.org/Get-Involved/Awareness-Events/Bebe-Moore-Campbell-National-Minority-Mental-Health-Awareness-Month/Learn-About-Bebe-Moore-Campbell-National-Minority-Mental-Health-Awareness-Month

This year my focus is on the interesting oddity that has come to my attention concerning the prevalence of schizophrenia throughout the world.  From what I now understand the prevalence of schizophrenia is statistically the same throughout the world.  However, the severity of the illness and the societal acceptance of those afflicted with the illness varies depending upon the cultural norms that predominate with the local people.  Of particular note, in reviewing the programs presented at the May 2022 American Psychiatric Association convention held in New Orleans, I was intrigued by the title of a presentation made on Monday, May 23, 2022.  The title of the program was  "The Voices of Spirit and the Voices of Madness" and the presenter was Tanya Marie Luhrmann.   I am not a member of the APA but I was able to find Ms. Luhrmann's profile on wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanya_Luhrmann

and I was able to find her Stanford University profile

https://profiles.stanford.edu/tanya-luhrmann

After reading all this, I was hooked.  I immediately ordered her book Our Most Troubling Madness: Case Studies in Schizophrenia Across Cultures.  I plan on reading it during this month of July and quoting some of the salient passages.  For those who may be similarly inclined, please consider reading the book with me.

Peace,

Everett Jenkins

Fairfield, California