Special Program Focuses on Help for Christian Men Dealing with Mental Health Issues, Tuesday on CBN News Channel

Chances are, you or someone you know is dealing with a mental health issue such as depression, trauma, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts.  

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in five Americans reports struggling with these and other mental health problems. The true number, however, may be much higher because some people choose to suffer in silence, including Christian men.

Promise Keepers, a Christian ministry aimed at building men of integrity, and the CBN News Channel are airing a special program at 8:00 pm Eastern on Tuesday, Oct. 25 to help Christian men cope with mental health challenges.

Produced by Promise Keepers, the one-hour program is titled Carried: Real Support for Mental Health.

Carried will feature teachings from America's popular faith leaders including Pastor Samuel Rodriguez who said men may not realize their problems often rub off on others. 

"It is egregious, especially in Christian homes. So goes the mental health of the man, to a great degree, so goes the spiritual vitality of the family," he told CBN News. 

Rodriguez points out that the Bible is filled with examples of godly men who struggle with mental health challenges.

The program will also include advice from top Christian mental health experts such as Dr. Tim Clinton, president of the American Association of Christian Counselors. He told CBN News the first step towards overcoming mental health challenges usually involves talking about them with other people. Unfortunately, he said, too often men keep these things to themselves. 

"There's a stigma associated with mental health and men," Clinton said. "It's seen as a sign of weakness."

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Dr. Clinton says bottled-up emotions typically don't just go away. On the contrary, he said they tend to intensify.

"We act out what we haven't worked out," he explained, "Everything just starts to explode. And that's why I think you see a lot of substance abuse, a lot of anger, and more, coming out of men."

Carried is geared towards all men, even ones who aren't currently struggling with mental health issues because the summit teaches them how to help brothers who are.

"You know the scripture says, 'Faithful are the wounds of a friend,'" said Dr. Clinton, "That's the man who's speaking into the life of another man who genuinely cares about him." 

In addition to faith leaders and mental health professionals, the program also features celebrity testimonials including one from Duck Dynasty's Al Robertson.

"This summit can help you know what to do, how to do it," Robertson said, "I even tell some stories from our own family, some things that we did to try to help our family members." 

After the summit, people who watched it be able to access more information from the Promise Keepers app for three weeks, including additional guidance about to overcome anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges, where to get professional help, daily devotionals, and how to connect with other Christian men struggling with similar issues.  

***Watch the Promise Keepers special "Carried: Real Support for Mental Health," at 8:00 pm Eastern, Tuesday, Oct. 25 on the CBN News Channel.***

BELOW: T.D. Jakes discusses finding "the still place" to heal your mental struggles.