Spirituality in mental illness

I can't give medical advice, and I won't.  Everyone is different. 

However, occasionally I get an email from someone experiencing mental illness either in their own, or someone else's, life.  Generally my response to either is the same. 

Live a quiet life; take the meds.  It really comes down to medication.  I've seen people, myself included, who tend to view mental illness through a spiritual lens; and yes, it can have spiritual components. 

At the end of the day, though, it's a biological problem.  Ron is diabetic.  I can pray over him all I want, but if he isn't eating right and checking his blood sugar he will get sicker. 

There's only one way to get better with mental illness - live a quiet, stable, lifestyle with no alcohol or "illegals", get your 8 hours of sleep every night, and take all medication, as directed, by the doctor.  Give the medication time to work, and keep your doctor updated on your progress. 

Then add the spiritual component.  Faith can help bolster a battered soul, as it heals with medication and perhaps therapy.