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Mental health in the orthodox community

Question:

Dear Rabbis,

Holistic health is challenged by medical authority. Mental health on the other hand is noticed by all medical schools and psychiatrists are trained.

The Rabbinical Council of America today put out a statement that Orthodox Judaism must not regard mental illness as taboo. Shidduchs can still be arranged and patients with psychiatrists still kept and continued in community.

Is there hope is halacha for person’s with difficult mental health? I have noted hard discrimination in the past among bashful persons afraid to concede that these are health requirements.

Hope this might be discussion.

Answer:

As far as I know, Orthodox Judaism takes mental health very seriously, and there are many orthodox psychologists, and psychiatrists to name Dr. Abraham J. Twersky just as an example.

The orthodox community has many shidduchim that were made with people that have mental health issues, of course under the guidance of competent psychologists and psychiatrists.

When a person is bashful about a problem that they have, it usually only makes it more difficult for them to get help. This is not only with mental health, but in all areas.

Sources:

 

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